


FNAF: Augmented Reality

by NBCWerewolf



Category: Five Nights at Freddy's
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-14
Updated: 2019-06-19
Packaged: 2020-05-07 10:57:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 99,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19207966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NBCWerewolf/pseuds/NBCWerewolf
Summary: An AU separate from my original fanfic, "Unsolved Mystery", in which Faye meets William Afton before learning of his murderous nature. Visiting family on vacation, Faye encounters the man behind the bunny suit several times before engaging a series of dates with him. She grows fond of him, only to feel betrayed when she and her niece are lured into a trap set by the very man of her affection. His plan fortunately backfires, but leaves Faye hurt and emotionally lost. They're reunited years later, when Faye moves on to work at Fazbear's Fright--only to meet up once more with William, now Springtrap. While the reunion leads Faye to believe all is normal again, she again fails to realize Springtrap's secret plan--until she ends up an animatronic, herself!(NOT canon to the FNAF universe! Some details may be subjected to change. Just FYI. Most of the 'fic is "clean", but I'll still mark the "mature" stuff with warnings. Also, here's a reminder for you all: NOBODY is forcing you to read this. You're free to read or skip this as you wish. If you don't like the content, then don't read. Use common sense.)





	1. Part 1

It was late.

Incredibly so, by time the car came to a stop beside the sidewalk. The neighborhood was silent. Not a soul out on the street. Well, except for her. Finally shifting the car to Park, she sighed and slacked in her seat. "Longest 8 hours, ever," she muttered, reaching to turn on an interior light. Able to see, she reached for the rear-view mirror, turning it to look at herself. A young adult stared back, about 26 in age. Rusty reddish-brown hair, kept short, practically outlined her face. Currently, the humidity had made it puffy, a little messy. Mentally complaining, she brushed it back and finger-combed it the best she could. Light-blue eyes peered through silver-framed glasses, her dark brows furrowed behind her bangs with her self-aimed griping.

Not only had she been in a rush to get home and pack, then throw everything in the car, but she hadn't taken the time to change out of her uniform. 'That's what I get for planning around work,' she thought, glancing down at herself. Black shoes, jeans, a purple uniform shirt, and a black security jacket over it. On the left side of the jacket, an image of an animatronic bear smiled back at her. "Just get out of the car," she told herself, turning off the headlights first, then the car. She popped the trunk open before climbing out of the driver's seat, shutting her door and locking the vehicle before stepping around behind it. From the trunk, she grabbed her dark brown suitcase and extra pair of shoes. Before closing the trunk, she used its interior light to check the time on her watch.

Just a few minutes short of 2 in the morning.

With a mental groan, she closed the trunk, gathered her belongings, and trekked the rest of the way up the path to the brick house before her. The porch light was on, as was the light in the living room. Looked like everyone was still up at this hour. Pausing at the door, the pale-toned woman reached to press the door bell. Within moments, she heard movement. The lock turned, and the door opened. A man had answered. Tall, well-built, with somewhat long black hair--neatly kept. Green eyes seemed tired, but excited to see her. He wore a solid gray shirt and jeans, and greeted her with a wide smile.

"Heya, squirt. Glad you could make it," he spoke, enveloping her in a hug. She returned a small laugh and hug. "It's good to see you," the man added. "You too, Mitch. Haven't seen you guys since Christmas," she replied as they separated. "Heh, funny how six months tend to fly by, eh? C'mon, come inside. We've got your room ready for you, and I'm sure you're tired after such a long drive," Mitch continued, helping her to carry her belongings inside. The door was closed behind her, her brother then reaching to turn off the porch light. Before her was their living room. White carpet, deep-red sofa and loveseat, a wide TV above the fireplace. A snack table sat near the sofa, currently the resting place for a nearly-empty bowl of pretzels. Sitting on the sofa were another woman and a little girl. Her brother's wife and daughter.

The wife, a somewhat chubby woman with long, rich red hair and forest-green eyes, immediately stood from her seat upon their guest's arrival. Also bearing a smile, she approached with open arms to embrace her sister-in-law. "So happy to see you back," she warmly stated. "Glad to be back. Sorry you guys had to wait up so late for me," their guest responded. The wife, Rune, quickly waved it by. "Think nothin' of it. I actually was considerin' brewing up some--" The Irish woman was then interrupted by her daughter's cheerful voice. "Auntie Faye!" cried the dark-haired girl, whom rushed to abandon her storybook on the sofa to hug her aunt. Faye, Mitch's sister, let out another soft laugh and knelt to gather up her niece. She'd celebrated her 10th birthday just a few days prior.

Her niece had dressed much like her mother, wearing a long-sleeved shirt and skirt. However, her outfit differed in that she also wore a pair of lightly-colored tights. Like Faye, her niece also wore glasses, and had nearly the same shade of blue eyes. "Happy to see you too, Reese-piece," Faye teased, the little girl giving her a tight hug. Giggling, Reese separated from her, "Did you remember to get me something for my birthday?" Her aunt resisted a snicker, shifting the child into one arm to free a hand. "Of course I did. What sort of auntie would I be to forget?" Faye stuck her hand into her jacket pocket, withdrawing a small plush. Solid black, with white stripes on its arms and legs. White buttons were stitched on its chest, and its face was white with red dots on its cheeks. Streaks of purple ran down from its empty eyes to its wide smile. Instantly, Reese's face light up. "Emmy!" she cried, taking the doll when offered to embrace it. "What do we say?" came her mother's voice. "Oh. Thank you, auntie," Reese quickly spoke.

"You're very welcome," Faye replied, setting her niece down. "Is Emmy doing okay?" Reese then asked, peering up at Faye through her glasses. "He's just fine, bite-size. I check on him, every shift," assured Faye, whom proceeded to remove her jacket while her brother carted her belongings off to the guest room. "That's good. I miss him," the child stated, resting her chin on the doll's head.

"Aw, he misses you too, Reese. Tell you what: when I get back, we can Face Time with him."

Reese gasped, her smile returning, "Really?!"

"Heheh, sure. I'm back on night shift when I return."

The child tossed her arms in the air, almost losing grip on her doll, "Yay!"

With a warm tone, Rune stepped back into the picture. "Alright, now. You got to stay up long enough to say 'ello to your auntie. It's time for bed, now," she told her daughter, whom promptly emitted a noise of disagreement. "Come along. Say goodnight to Auntie." With a frown, Reese mumbled her compliance, then turned to Faye. "Night, auntie. See you in the morning."

Faye waved the child off, watching the two traverse upstairs to Reese's bedroom. Once they were out of sight, she moved to collapse on the sofa, taking the time to neatly put away the child's belongings. Her brother soon enough emerged from the guest room, taking a seat beside her. "So, how was the drive?" he began. "Heh," his sister chuckled. "Remind me never to put off packing until after work, again. I was supposed to be off at 3 today, but Carter was running late, so I had to stay and cover for him until he got in."

Mitch cocked a brow, "Let me guess: you stayed over an extra hour?"

"Sure did. Almost two hours. The guy finally comes in, drenched with coffee. Apparently, he thought he'd time to meet someone for lunch, and the server they got was new; didn't know how to properly carry beverages. He ordered a coffee to go, and the lady dropped it on him."

Her brother grinned, shaking his head.

"So, since he's now in a rush to try to get home and change before work, he hurries to pay his tab. And can't, because he forgot his wallet at home..."

"Aw, that's great."

"He decides the best course of action is to instead dig through his vehicle for loose change to cover the $1.30 he still owes. And in the process of digging, he drops his keys between the seat and center console."

"Talk about having a bad day."

"No kidding. So, by the time he fishes out his keys AND the money he needed to pay off his order, he has no time to drive home and change. He drove straight to work, instead."

"What did you have to do during those two hours?"

"Pull a kid out of the prize machine," Faye stated plainly, casually rubbing at the base of an ear. Her brother laughed, "Hey, at least it was better than playing an impromptu round of 'Dig-Dug'." To that, she smirked, "Had to be better than THAT." They both readdressed Rune as she made her way back down the stairs, offering them both drinks on her way to the kitchen--which they both accept with thanks. "Hate to switch to a more serious topic," Mitch began, turning back to his sister, "but how's work going for you?" Faye shrugged, resting her head on the back of the sofa, "Making decent money. The day guard quit, so I'm filling both positions until they can hire someone else. For the time I'm away, the managers volunteered to stay and work the guard shifts."

"That'll put you over hours. Can't be a bad thing," Mitch pointed out. "Nah, overtime's fine by me. They have no choice but to make an exception; they don't have anyone else, right now. Besides, I'm two paychecks away from paying off my car," smiled Faye, whom 'danced' a quick little jig in her seat. "Glad to hear, squirt. And, uh, the animatronics aren't giving you a hard time?" wondered her brother. "Hm, no. I honestly still don't know why they'd acted out. I mean, they were that way when I was initially hired on, but quickly stopped after my first shift as night guard," she explained.

"They did? Huh. Sounds like they might've been looking for someone, expecting you to be that someone. Then maybe quit when they realized you weren't whom they were expecting."

"Hm...maybe? I mean, I DID have a rather close call, that first night."

"What happened?"

Faye sighed, letting air through her nose, "Toy Bonnie jumped me. Pinned me against the wall." Mitch held a look of shock. "I'm okay, though. Thought quickly enough to tell him, 'It's me, it's Faye', over and over. Somehow, it got him to back off." Her brother seemed to cringe, "I don't know how you do it, squirt. I would've quit after that, if it were me."

"Hey, I need the money. The work's not hard, just...you have to know what you're doing. Like I said, it was my first shift as the night guard. Nothing any different from being the day guard. Only thing was, nobody told me the characters would flip their 'psycho' switches after dark." She silenced herself as Rune entered the room, handing filled glasses to them both. "Discussin' work, are you?" the red-haired woman questioned as she sat on the loveseat. "Eh, it's what grown folks do, isn't it?" Faye snickered back, sipping from her glass. "Sadly," Rune nodded. "But switchin' to a happier topic, have you given it any thought as to if you're goin' to move? Maybe live a lil' closer to us, so that we won't have to spend so much time, drivin'?"

Faye hummed softly to herself, "I haven't decided, yet. I mean, I wanted to stay in our parents' hometown, but...it's gotten a little empty after you guys moved. I know you had to, what with Mitch's job and all. At the same time, though, it's where our parents grew up, met, settled down. It's all I've ever known. Plus, it's where my job is, currently. Despite the set-backs, I still love what I do."

"Well, you could ask to transfer."

Faye's gaze shot back to Rune, "Transfer? You guys have one, here?"

"Aye, we do. 'Tis the second location, I believe. Correct me if I'm wrong."

"The second...? Oh, you mean Freddy Fazbear's."

"That be it."

"...Hm...I've never been to that location."

"Neither have we, to be honest with you," Rune sheepishly smiled. "We keep meaning to take Reese, but..."

"Work?"

"Aye, work."

Faye set her glass on the snack table, resting back in her seat. "Well...I've never been, so I guess I could take the time to check it out. See if I like it. If it checks out, I'll see if I can't ask to transfer before Christmas, this year." Conflict settled on her face. "Oh, wait--they're closed on Sundays, aren't they?"

Both Rune and Mitch nodded back. "Yep; closed every Sunday," her brother clarified. "Spazz. Um, how about Monday, then? I can take Reese while you guys are at work," Faye then offered. "I think that's a fine idea," Rune agreed, looking to her husband. "Sure. I don't see why not," he put in. "Reese has been wanting to spend time with you, anyway."

"Great. Then we'll go, Monday morning," Faye decided. "Good to hear. However, the hour's late. We should all think about going to bed, yeah?" Rune gestured to the clock on the wall, standing to accept the empty glasses. "Suppose we'd better. It's been a long drive," her sister-in-law agreed, also getting up. "Alright. Feel free to wander the house. Food's in the kitchen, all shower goods are in the bathroom," Mitch picked at his sister. "Bro, I've been by your house, before," Faye playfully defended herself. "Teasing, squirt," he chuckled.

"At least you spared me the whole 'water in the tap' quote," Faye called back as she disappeared behind her door.


	2. Part 2

That "fateful" morning, Faye woke early to see both her brother and her sister-in-law before work, and to inform a slumbering Reese of the good news. Never before had she seen her niece jolt from bed so quickly. The ten-year-old rushed to get dressed, although was having difficulty deciding what to wear. Her aunt, meanwhile, stepped back downstairs to find Mitch and his wife in the kitchen. "You sure you can handle our girl?" Rune asked with a smirk. "She's ten, not twenty-one. And we're just going to spend a few hours at the restaurant. It's not like I'm teaching her how to drive, or anything," Faye replied in a joking tone, settling herself at the dining table for breakfast.

Mitch faked a shiver. "Can you imagine it? Our daughter, at 21 years of age?"

His wife giggled to herself, "Old enough to drink, date, work a full-time job. I'll be the one to introduce her to a good, hard drink. You'll be the one to give her drivin' lessons. We decided~" Mitch's expression showcased a mental kick to himself, to which both women laughed. "Don't forget to pack a helmet, brother," Faye teased. He sighed through a smile, "Let's be thankful that's not for another eight years." At the mention, said little girl bolted down the stairs, nearly tripping on the last few. "M'kay, I'm ready. Can we go, now?" she immediately spoke, joining the adults at the table.

"Last I checked, they don't open until 11. That's not for another couple of hours, so you've time to eat your breakfast," Faye began, eyes drifting down at the child's hands. "You're going to have to leave that here," she said. Reese frowned, gaze falling to the plush she held, "Aw, I can't take Emmy with me?"

"No."

"How come?"

"Because we don't need management pulling us aside to question us about a plush that we may or may not be stealing--even though I already bought it."

"Can't you just tell them that?"

"They'd want proof, and I didn't keep the receipt."

"Aww..."

"Sorry. Leave Emmy in your room, then eat your breakfast."

Obeying, the small girl returned to her room, once again making the trek back upstairs. "Besides, you're going to need your hands free for all the games you're going to play," her aunt called after her. "I'm going to kick your tail at air hockey!" the child faintly called back. "Hah! In your dreams," Faye grinned, before stuffing cereal into her mouth. "Just remember to keep an eye on her. She doesn't go anywhere without you. And if you have any problems, you call one of us," Mitch spoke up, reaching for something in his pocket. "Here. It's our only extra, so don't lose it." He handed his sister a spare key--likely for the house. "Got it," his sister nodded, attaching the key to her key ring. "Alright. I hate to dine and dash, but I've gotta go," the man said as he checked for the time. Grabbing a slice of toast offered to him by his wife, he gave her a quick kiss before heading out the door. After a moment's pause, Faye looked to her. "Still repairing cars?" she asked. Rune shook her head, briefly. "Nah. He was promoted to workin' the office. Computer job, you understand."

"Bet that's driving him out of his mind."

"Claimed he'd rather be changin' people's oil."

Faye shrugged, swirling the milk in her bowl with her spoon. "That's still the good thing about cars: everyone drives, so there's no shortage of repairs." Rune motioned to respond, but dropped it as Reese zoomed back down the steps. "Gettin' your cardio in, I see. Be careful comin' down those steps, would you? Last we need is to rush you to the good doctor," she lightly scolded her daughter. "Yes, Mom. Sorry," Reese returned, situating herself at the table. After the aunt-and-niece duo ate their meal and Rune gave them some last bits of instruction, the three made way out of the house. Faye and Reese waved Rune goodbye as they climbed into the aunt's car. The child watched her mother's car pull out into the street and drive away, while Faye gathered her phone to look up directions.

"I thought school was closed during the summer," Reese sighed, sinking in her chair. "To students, but the teachers still have work to do," her aunt told her, tapping on her phone's screen. The younger female eyed her aunt's device, "Do you even know where we're going?"

"I will, shortly."

A few more taps brought up the location of the restaurant. It was almost fifteen minutes away. "Okay, now we're off," announced the elder female, the car finally leaving its place on the street. The drive itself was relatively quiet, save for the occasional question shot by Reese about either the location Faye worked at, or the one they were nearing. Words soon enough gave way for excited squeals by time the car drove into the parking lot. While Reese could barely contain herself, her aunt casually parked the vehicle, peering through the window at the building. "Hm. It's bigger than my workplace," Faye stated, noting that the second location was, in fact, nearly twice as large as Junior's. The color scheme was the same: cream-painted brick walls with a dark-red roof. Above the entrance doors was an insignia of the company's mascot, a humanoid brown bear in a black hat and bowtie. The one Faye knew back home was the Toy version, with bright-red cheeks and 'buttons' running down his stomach. Faye knew him as 'Toy Freddy'.

Here, he was just 'Freddy Fazbear'.

Giggling, Reese hurried to depart the car, standing in wait near the trunk for her aunt to join her. The elder female soon did so, locking the car after them. "So," Faye began, "are we going in, or would you prefer to stand here, gawking?" As if given the signal, the dark-haired girl took off, pausing again at the doors while waiting for her aunt to join her. She stepped back to let Faye open the door, then darted inside. The scents of burnt birthday candles and pizza were first to greet them. Posters of the establishment's characters lining the walls were second. Adjusting her glasses, Faye visually skimmed over the posters, noting each of the characters. Freddy Fazbear, Bonnie the Bunny, Chica the Chicken, Foxy the Pirate, Fredbear, and--

"SpringBonnie!" Reese gasped, excitedly patting what corner of the golden rabbit's poster she could reach. A smile formed on her aunt's face. "Is it safe to assume that one's your favorite? Besides Emmy?" she asked. Her niece practically beamed back, "Yep!"

"How's he your favorite, when you've never been here, before?"

"Saw him on TV. Um, in commercials." Reese then appeared puzzled. "Auntie? Why don't you have a SpringBonnie at your place?"

"My place...? You mean my workplace?"

"Uh-huh."

"It's...just so not one location would be the same as another. Kinda like how you won't find Mickey Mouse anywhere but at Disneyland."

"He's at DisneyWorld, too."

"True, but we're not going to travel across the continent when we can find him, over here."

Unable to shoot a comeback, the child gave in, walking back to her aunt's side. Her focus drifted from the posters to the large stand-up cutout of Freddy, then to the lady behind the front counter. The woman didn't look that much older than Faye, dressed in a mahogany uniform. Her blonde hair was short, mostly engulfed by her company hat. "Hello, there! Welcome to Freddy's," she greeted with a slight wave. Faye returned the greeting, approaching the counter. "Do you have any reservations?" the woman--"Janet", by her name tag--questioned. "We do not, unfortunately," Faye sheepishly smirked, shaking her head.

"Ah, that's quite alright. We accept walk-ins, as well. Is this your first time at Freddy's?"

"Not exactly. I'm an employee, myself. Er, at the 'Junior's' location."

Janet's grin returned, this time with intrigue. "Ah, already a member, then? Traveled far, didn't you?"

"Heh, all for a good reason: I've family, here."

Nodding, Janet peered down at a giddy Reese, "And this is your...?"

"My niece," Faye clarified. "I'm watching her for the day while her folks are working."

"Nothing wrong with that. Well, good news is, since you're employed with us, you get special discounts. Eh, what was your name?" Janet continued, fingers typing away at her computer.

"Faye Wilson. F-A-Y-E."

The woman hummed quietly as she searched for the given name. "Ah, there you are! Well, it's good to meet another member of the team. I take it you're familiar with how we operate, then?"

"Not entirely, but mostly. I flip back and forth between day and night guard, so..."

"Ah, okay. So, here's what we can offer you..." Janet began, turning the computer monitor so that Faye could view its screen. While the adults went over "package deals", Reese stepped away to peer into the establishment. Just around the Freddy cutout, the room opened up into a large floor covered with game machines, ball pits, and a kids' playground. Across from the gaming floor were the dining tables, which were set in front of a wide stage. Currently performing on it were three animatronic animals: the company's primary trio of Freddy, Bonnie, and Chica. They couldn't be heard from where Reese was standing, but she could guess by their movements that they were singing. Her eyes shifted behind her glasses as she looked to the furthest tables. These were different, in that they were sectioned off by star-patterned tape. Currently, a birthday party was being held there, the children sitting at the tables being entertained by the company's golden characters, Fredbear and SpringBonnie. Too busy staring, Reese didn't hear her aunt call for her until her voice had gotten a bit loud.

"Ah! Sorry, Auntie," she quickly replied, sheepish gaze back on Faye. The brown-haired female luckily returned a smirk. "The package deal comes with a character mask. You have to pick which one." Confusion took to Reese's face. "Mask? What for?" Faye shrugged a shoulder, "Just a little something special for birthday kids."

"But it's not my birthday. That was a few days ago."

"That's what I said, but they're still permitting it."

"So long as it was within the last seven days," Janet added with a nod.

"Oh...okay!" Reese gave the floor another look before rushing to be picked up by her aunt. Once able, she looked over the selection of masks. "Hmm...umm...I don't see Emmy's," she lightly frowned. Faye snickered, "You're not going to find his mask at this location, Reese-piece. That's just at Junior's." Again, her niece emitted a sound of disagreement. "Hm...okay, then. I think I'll take Chica's," she decided, pointing out Chica's face on a sheet of paper. "Alright, let's see here," Janet spoke up, reaching under the counter to withdraw a Chica mask--still in its plastic wrapping. "There you are. And what sort of cake would you like, sweetie?"

"Cake?" muttered Reese, whom was occupied with unwrapping and testing out her new mask. "Um...Mom got me a small chocolate one already, so...hm..." Small fingers tapping on her mask, which was now situated on her head, the child dragged out her 'thoughtful humming', even as she tilted her head back to stare up at the ceiling. "Hmm, uh, lemon!" she finally chose, peering back at the woman behind the counter. With a nod, Janet typed out the child's request. "Oh, and with vanilla frosting. Ooh, and sprinkles!" Reese quickly threw in with a smile. "A Chica cake, too?" Faye grinned, slyly. Holding a fake frown, Reese quietly thought over her own words, realizing it was, in fact, a Chica cake. Lemon represented the chicken's coloring, while the white frosting and sprinkles represented her dining bib. "Dang it!" she played.

Her aunt openly laughed, managing not to drop her. "Nothing's wrong with Chica, bite-size. She needs some love, too," Faye told her, setting the child back down when Janet was able to record the order. With everything set and paid for, Janet printed out the ticket and handed it to Faye. "Right, so your order's already been sent to the kitchen. Your party's going to be held at one, so what you're going to do is go sit at either of the party tables, there." She pointed out the tables Reese had been viewing, just moments ago. "When your scheduled time comes, that is. We'll bring out your cake and pizzas, and our two golden mascots will come by to entertain you."

Faye briefly held up her index finger in question, "But since it's just the two of us, would there be any way to...I don't know, say, have them play some games with my niece, instead of perform?" She heard Reese gasp in excitement behind her. "Absolutely," Janet cleared, just before Reese bounced in cheer. Chuckling at her niece's reaction, Faye tucked their ticket in her pocket. "Thank you so much for all your help," she spoke to the lady. "Thank you!" chime Reese. "You're both welcome. Enjoy yourselves," Janet bid them off, greeting the next few customers to walk in. Once away from the front counter, Faye casually peered down at Reese. "Your 'party' isn't until one. Still got a couple hours to burn. Anything you wanna do?"

"Umm...everything."

"That's a lot to do in a couple hours. I call dibs on Player One," Faye stated with a short raise of her hand, promptly heading off for the games. A mock gasp left Reese, whom quickly hurried after her. "No way! I get Player One!"

********************************************

The hour of their 'party' drew near. Before long, the two found themselves at an air hockey table, caught up in their ninth round. For now, Faye was winning, what with a whole five points to Reese's three. Up to this round, Reese hadn't be able to figure out how to outsmart her aunt, whom was clearly better at this game than she was. It was only thanks to a stray smack launching the puck off the table that Faye didn't score another point. "And suddenly, the puck turned into a UFO," Faye playfully announced, Reese giggling as she went to pick up the flat object. She hesitated in stepping back up to the table. The puck was on her side of the 'field'. If she could pull this off, that would be another goal point on her board. She approached the table, motioning as if to put down the puck. But instead of striking it upon seeing her aunt ready for it, she swiftly chucked her striker across the table's surface.

Unfortunately, as fast as she'd whisked it, it bounced off the side of the table and onto the floor behind Faye. Puzzled, Faye looked for whatever it was her niece had thrown her way. "What the heck was tha--"

*CLINK*

Frozen in place, Faye stood up from her hunched over posture to look at the score board. Reese's had another point. She looked then to her 'net', then to Reese. Whom was trying not to burst out in laughter. "Did you sacrifice your striker?" Faye calmly asked, casually leaning against her side of the table with a clearly-not-so-serious expression. When the child didn't answer, Faye withdrew the puck. "Little cheater!" she played, Reese finally cutting up in giggles. After setting the puck back on the table, Faye remembered her niece didn't have her striker. It was currently somewhere on her side. "Well, what are you going to do, now? You offered up your stick to the air hockey gods," Faye joked, proceeding to hunt for Reese's striker. She was answered by laughter.

...Which only got louder when Faye realized whom else had found it. A large, humanoid bear stood some steps away, one hand holding the somewhat spaceship-shaped object. Its golden 'fur' and purple accessories told Faye this was Fredbear. She held a sheepish grin as she straightened up, brushing off her pant legs. "I'm sorry about that," she spoke, pointing then to the item he held. "That's, um...ours." The animatronic's usual bulbous eyes weren't in place, human ones gazing back at her through the mask. 'Of course', she remembered. The gold ones were springlock suits; both animatronic while not worn, and costume when they were. Fredbear emitted a deep chuckle, handing the striker back. "No harm done, no need to fret. But I did still witness that little maneuver, little miss. We do not cheat, here at Fazbear's," the bear said in a deep, rich voice, attention shifting to the dark-haired child at the table with a short wiggle of a finger. Reese sank behind the table, grinning all the while. "I know. Sorry, Fredbear."

She was quickly distracted by the line of tickets that were spit out on the other side of the table, hurrying to gather them before another kid could run up and snatch them. "We do racing, next!" Reese called, running off for the next game.

Faye only shook her head, smiling to herself as she heard the bear chuckle again, beside her. "She yours?" Fredbear asked, slightly leaning forward to better view the adult near him. "Ah, my brother's," Faye stated, glancing at him from her niece. "I volunteered to babysit."

"And you couldn't have picked a better place to bring her." He chuckled, again. The tone of voice changed, as the actor inside eased up from being in-character. "Ah, but all joking aside, it's not that I wish to intrude. You seem familiar to me, somehow. I want to say I've seen you, before."

"Hm, you probably have. I work at Junior's as their security." Faye gestured to herself, repeating her name. The bear held a finger to his hinged mouth, a hand supporting an elbow. His posture soon morphed into one of realization. "Ah! That's where I've seen you. Your picture's on the roster." At her nod, he lifted a hand to the back of his mask. Moments later, the mask's jaws unhinged, opening enough for the actor inside to peer out. A jolly man, some years older than Faye, smiled warmly from inside the suit. He had short, dark hair, and a small mustache. He also had that sort of vibe, aura, that reminded Faye of a ringmaster at a circus. All he had to do was swap out the bear suit for a show suit. "Name's Henry. Quite a pleasure," he introduced himself, offering a large hand. Returning the gesture, Faye couldn't keep the surprise out of her expression. "Wait...you mean the same 'Henry'? One of the suits'--"

"Creators? That's me. Heh. Uh, normally I don't wear the suits, themselves..." He peered down at himself the best the suit would allow him. "...but I had to make the exception, today. Too many scheduled birthdays, not enough actors to play the role." Faye displayed slight discomfort, "I'm sorry to hear that. Shame the suits weren't built for shorter people, else I probably would have offered."

"Heheh, I suppose that's the unfortunate side to having designed a costume to fit one's self. So...security, you say? At Junior's? That means you work with the Toys, am I right?"

"I don't know if 'work with' are the proper words..."

"Oh. Have they been acting strangely?"

"On and off. They aren't as bad with me as they used to be, but they'll still occasionally stare at me, suspiciously. It's a bit unsettling."

"Hm...we may have to send someone to have a look at them. They were relatively new, last I heard, so they might still have some bugs needing worked out. Nobody's been hurt?"

Faye shook her head, "Thankfully, no."

He sighed in relief, "Glad to hear it. And rather brave of you, young lady. We've been in business for a long time, and yet I haven't come to know very many women willing to take the job." She grinned, "Well, can't let men have all the fun, can we?"

"Heheh, perhaps not. Still rather admirable, I have to say. Maybe you'll come work for us, one day?"

"That has yet to be seen, 'Fredbear'. But I'll be considering it."

Deciding not to pry any further into his customer's private matters, Henry switched topics. "So, are you here with a party? Or, for a party?" At the mention, Faye withdrew her ticket, handing it over briefly for him to see. "Ah, okay. Yours is at one. For your niece, I assume?"

"Nah, it's for me. I just let her think it's for her," Faye joked. Handing back the ticket, Henry faked a thoughtful look. "...We'll break out the alcohol, later," he muttered in play. Faye finally cut up in laughter, herself. He permitted himself a few laughs while reaching to close the mask. "We'll see you in 45," Fredbear informed her, resuming his character's voice as he left to resume entertaining. With a short wave, Faye moved to join her niece upon being called. "We don't have that much longer until your 'party', Reese-piece. Let's make it a short race."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a little background info, in case I didn't make it clear (and I hope I have): Mitch and Faye are siblings, Rune is Mitch's wife, and Reese is their daughter and Faye's niece. Reese calls the Marionette "Emmy", because his name starts with 'M'.
> 
> Also, since my fanfic's technically already done and posted over on DeviantArt, I'll be posting a few Parts at a time, perhaps one or two each day. Hopefully some feedback here will help encourage me to post some other 'fics on this account. ^^


	3. Part 3

"Yarr harr harr! I could go on all day, recallin' me daring tales, me hearties! But me time is up, for now. I must rest. More grand adventures are waitin' to be had, yarr! I hope ye all have enjoyed listenin' to this ol' sailor's tales, and have a wonderful time here at Freddy Fazbear's!" laughed Foxy the Pirate, whom lifted his one hand in some form of wave as the purple curtains closed around his stage. "Bye, Foxy!" Reese beamed, waving back at the animatronic fox. Lowering her Chica mask back over her face, remembering to mind her glasses, she hopped from her seat to take her aunt's hand, lightly tugging her to follow. "Party time!"

Chuckling, Faye stood from her own seat, following her niece out of Pirate Cove. Their previous racing was shortened by how many other kids wanted to race, so to burn the rest of their wait, the two had decided to pay Foxy a visit for his next show. It lasted just long enough, and ended just in time for them to hurry to their table. Outside Pirate Cove, the prize corner sat. While it would've been their next stop, Reese had her sights set for the party tables. Only minutes remained before it was to begin, after all. An employee allowed them through the tape barrier after checking their ticket, and they moved to sit at a relatively-barren section of one of the tables. Unlike the other normal dining tables, which all had white table cloths with multi-colored stars on them, the party tables had purple cloths with gold stars. On the tables' surface were party hats, which Reese ignored.

She instead pushed hers and her aunt's aside to make space for their food.

"How much time is left?" Reese asked, having calmed herself down to sit. Faye checked her watch once she was sitting, herself. "Five minutes, exactly," she said. Her light-blue eyes scanned the rest of the building. By now, more families had arrived, bringing with them some rather demanding children. SpringBonnie wasn't present, but Fredbear still was--dealing with a child whose family was ready to leave. He was not. At that time, the young boy had latched himself onto the golden bear the best he could. His mother was trying to talk him into letting go, while another employee carefully loosened the boy's limbs. Eventually, they managed. The boy wasn't happy, screaming the whole while he was "led" back outside. They checked Fredbear over before giving him clearance. He then moved out of sight.

Faye turned back around in her seat. Reese had gone silent beside her, idly swinging her legs under the table. The staff must have been prepping their food. Yet, how could she keep her niece entertained until the 'party' began? Her gaze flickered over the table. An unopened packet of balloons had been set at its edge. She smirked. Without saying a word, she reached for the packet and tore it open, pulling a balloon from it. After a testing stretch, Faye quietly put it to her lips and inflated it. Curious about her aunt's actions, Reese lifted her mask to watch. Faye set an elbow on the table in order to rest her head in a palm, the other hand keeping its grip on the inflated balloon. "Anybody behind us?" she asked. Brows raised, the dark-haired girl shifted in her chair to look. "Hmm...SpringBonnie's back. Other kids are talking with him," she reported.

That mischievous smile never left Faye's face, as she then lifted the balloon over her shoulder...and let go.

With crude sounds, the balloon shot off through the air, zipping wildly as it unintentionally neared the large golden rabbit. While Faye didn't watch, Reese did. A tiny gasp fled her upon watching the deflating object smack one of his ears before falling to the floor. She continued to watch in silence as he'd stopped to identify whatever had hit him, then bent to pick it up. Standing, he searched the room for the culprit. When he turned to face the two at the table, Reese quickly lowered her mask and shifted in her seat. Perhaps he didn't see? Beside her, Faye tried to seem as casual and innocent as she could, both elbows perched on the table, hands pressed together before her face. Although any expression was hidden behind a mask, giggles were heard from the smaller figure.

Not long after, slightly heavy footsteps drew near. The giggling grew restrained. On her right side, Faye saw something golden step into view. There was further movement as something was presented to her. She didn't have to look; she already knew what it was. "Excuse me, madam. But I've reason to believe this was yours," the rabbit spoke, his voice smooth and sly-toned compared to Fredbear's deep one. Maintaining her 'innocence' was gradually becoming impossible, as Faye soon swapped holding her hands up in front of herself with attempting to block the object from sight. "Hmmm--never saw it before in my life," she practically squeaked back, her niece emitting more telltale giggles. The rabbit didn't move, other than to set the balloon on the table. It soon became apparent to Faye that she'd have to engage eye contact at some point--and did so with a pair of dark-blue eyes. Someone was, of course, wearing him. That meant his normal green-hued eyes were cranked back to let the human inside look out through his sockets.

She couldn't keep a sheepish grin off her face. "Guilty," Faye admitted after a moment's pause. "I hadn't meant to hit you, though. Sorry." Although she couldn't see the man inside smile, she could hear it in his voice. "No need to give it a second thought. After all, you hadn't done so, properly," he said. A brow raised at him, the other lowered. "Properly, you say? Well, then...perhaps you'd like to demonstrate?" Faye played, leaning back in her seat. SpringBonnie glanced from her to the packet of balloons, reaching to take out another. His jaws parted as it was lifted to the man's lips inside the mask. This one, he inflated larger than Faye's, then held it away from himself and his guests before letting it go. It flew through the air, much louder than Faye's had been. Faster and more aggressive, it bounced off other tables, using up its last bit of air to launch itself behind the front counter. A surprised Janet looked to see what had flown at her, before playfully glaring at the yellow bunny. He gestured a shrug back to her. Meanwhile, Faye let out wheezing laughter, while Reese outright cackled, falling out of her chair.

"You sure showed me," Faye spoke between wheezes, finally calming down as her niece's laughter quieted. The rabbit permitted himself his own chuckles, then asked, "So, am I to assume you are our next 'appointment'?" The brunette nodded back, "1 pm, that's us."

"And...the birthday in question...?"

A hand shot out from under the table, a section of the cloth lifting with it. "Mine!" chimed Reese. "Hers," Faye added, gesturing with a slight movement of a thumb to the hidden child. SpringBonnie's focus shifted from the adult to the little girl. "Who's 'mine'?" he wondered, convincing Reese to poke her masked face from under the cloth. "Hello!" she greeted. The rabbit tilted his head. "Now, since when had Chica gotten so small?" he joked. "The bottle DID say "Drink me"," Faye played along, to which he'd snickered. "Why don't you come out so I can get a look at you?" he then asked the child, whom by this point had disappeared. She popped out from under the edge of the table. "Hi-hi!" In giggles, she ran circles around him, chanting, "Bunny, bunny, bunny!"

He'd physically tracked her movements up until she'd again vanished from sight. Puzzled, he looked to the remaining adult, just about to speak, when he felt movement on his shoulder. "Hi," a small voice squeaked, Reese reappearing by his head. He covered his startle with a few more chuckles before continuing to play along. "Oh, no. Looks like a monkey escaped its cage," he teased, using a gentle motion to shift the small girl over his shoulder and into his waiting arms. With her back in view, he resumed conversation. "What might your name be?" Small hands lifted the chicken mask from her face. "My name's Reese. That's my Auntie Faye, there." She pointed briefly to the seated adult, whom gave a short wave at the mention. "And you're SpringBonnie," Reese finished, poking at his purple bowtie. His ears bounced as he nodded, "Heh, that's right."

"You're my favorite~"

Limited in motion, Spring tried to display his shyness. "Shucks, kiddo. That's awful sweet of you. So, that must mean you're the lucky birthday girl, hm?"

"Mm, well...it was really a few days ago. But Mom and Dad couldn't bring me. Jobs wouldn't let them."

"Tsk. Jobs bite, don't they?"

"Yeah!"

"Dumb jobs."

All the while, Faye smiled. Whomever this man was, he knew how to bond with kids.

"How old does this make you?" he continued.

"I'm ten, now," Reese proudly stated.

"Ten? Wow! That's a big number."

"Pff--that's not big."

"You don't think so?"

"Nope."

"Then what is?"

"Infinity."

He paused. "...You're right; that's a bigger number."

"...That's gonna be a lot of candles, too."

"Heheh, can you even imagine what that cake would look like?"

"A fireball."

"Well, I can guarantee we won't turn your cake into such."

The child was silent for a time, eventually breaking what staring contest she was having with him by poking his nose. "Bunny!" Again, he chuckled. "Alright, before you turn me into putty..." he said, setting her back down. "Fredbear's going to bring out your cake, okay? I'm going to go grab your presents, and will be right back," he promised, looking from her to Faye, then left after she'd nodded her permission. "See? SpringBonnie's awesome," Reese grinned, happily returning to her seat. Holding a smile, her aunt looked to see Fredbear and another employee appear with their cake and pizzas, while Spring stood at the prize corner, making subtle gestures at the wall behind the employee manning it.

"That, he is, Reese. That, he is."

*******************************************************

The hour-long party was nearly up.

As was promised, the two golden characters provided a show with their meal, singing songs and telling funny stories while Faye and Reese ate. Of course, there was much food to be eaten. Unable to eat it all, they offered other attending children some pizza and cake, the latter of which saw its first slice to Reese. When all stomachs were stuffed and initial entertainment was over with, Fredbear and Spring presented Faye's niece with her gifts. Inside the beautifully-wrapped boxes were a SpringBonnie plush and a Fredbear plush, two hard-to-earn prizes offered at the prize corner. Faye, knowing her brother and sister-in-law would want to see them, took pictures during the whole event. Now that the dining experience was over, Faye found herself sitting almost alone at the table, snacking on what remained of their pizza. Beside her on the table, Reese's new plush dolls sat, Plush-Spring's ear flopped over and covering Plush-Fredbear's face.

Reese and several other children were currently playing 'Tag' with the two characters around the playground. Erupting in laughter, the dark-haired girl and two other little girls darted into the play-tunnels, just able to avoid being caught by Spring. Predicting where they would emerge, he positioned himself by an exit tunnel, playfully snatching up one of the other children whom dared to crawl out. From her seat, Faye spotted Reese back-track through the tunnels for the slides. The rabbit failed to see her split-decision to avoid him, leaving him curious as to where she'd gone. There were two characters playing this game, however, and Fredbear waited by the mouths of the slides for the children to slide down. Reese was one of them, squealing in laughter as the bear caught her.

They were clearly having an awesome time. It had been a long time since Faye had last seen Reese so happy. Last had been a family trip to Disneyland. Despite some upset stomachs on a few rides, everyone had enjoyed themselves. Her niece was only 8, back then. She'd gotten to sword-fight with a popular pirate crew. "Jack said I could join his crew when I'm older!" Reese had exclaimed from her father's arms. Funny. Her fascination with pirates then had Faye convinced she'd take Foxy as her favorite character at Fazbear's. Surprising that she chose the yellow bunny, instead. Chewing on her last bit of crust, Faye was interrupted from her train of thought by the shift manager in charge of over-seeing their party. "Just a heads-up, everyone! The 1 o'clock party is nearly over! I repeat, the 1 o'clock party ends in three minutes!" he called, apologizing to those kids who emitted sounds of disappointment.

"Aww, not yet! We were having fun..." whined Reese as Fredbear set her back down. "No need to be sad, little one. Just because the party's over, that doesn't mean you won't still find us, here," Fredbear assured her. "That's right. And, hey--you still have three minutes left. Let's make the most of them," Spring added, handing over a small boy to his waiting father. "Hm...okay! Uh, and do what?" spoke Reese, looking up at the large rabbit. "Well, what would you like to do?" he asked in turn, hunched over with his hands on his knees. "...Uhhh...oh! Could you carry me back to my auntie?" she smiled back, slightly hopping in place. "Hey, if that's what you want," he said, kneeling so that she could climb up on his back. The golden bear, meanwhile, gave hugs and had pictures taken with what children remained, as Spring walked Reese back to her waiting aunt. With employees cleaning the table in prep for the next party, Faye stood outside the barrier with her niece's presents in hand. When the two were close enough, she moved to pass the child her plush toys, then helped in lowering her from off the large bunny.

"Okay, what do you tell him?" Faye asked as Reese re-positioned the mask on top of her head. "Oh--thank you, Spring. I had lots of fun, today!" beamed the small girl. "Ah, thanks aren't necessary, sweetheart. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," he replied, turning himself to face them. "Well, I must be off. Got another party to prepare for."

"Sad that you must go. But thanks again for keeping my niece entertained. It's been such a long time since she'd last had that much fun," Faye put in, Reese hugging her from behind. "Pleasure's all mine, madam. Thank you for bringing her," he addressed with a slight bow of his head. In play, he leaned closer to her. "Oh, and if you ever need further lessons on how to properly inflate a balloon--" he began to pick, speaking loudly enough for Reese to hear him. He was cut off by a teasing shove by Faye. "We'll be having stray balloon wars before you know it, I'm telling you," Faye play-threatened over her niece's laughter. "Will we, now? I'll be looking forward to it," he responded, able to catch her hand in its retreat. In a lowered voice, he added, "I also hope you'll come again." His smooth tone combined with the mock kiss he gave her hand were enough to light up her cheeks. "You know, that's a good look for you~" he teased, getting Faye to giggle and cover her face. "Behave yourself, bunny~" she picked back, letting the resulting wink he gave her slide before he waved to them in his departure.

She was pulled from thought by tugs at her pant leg.

"Does that mean we have to go, now?" Reese wondered, blue eyes holding a sense of worry. "Well...they technically don't close until seven, and it's only two, now. However...you've already wiped out what free cash I brought with me, this trip. I don't have anything more to spend on game tokens," Faye sympathetically said. "BUT...if you want to, you can play on the playground a little longer until the Fazbear Band's next show. Then we can watch them perform over some ice cream. What'cha think?" Reese immediately jumped on the idea, shoving her plush toys into her pockets as best she could as she ran back for the playground, her aunt following close behind.

**********************************************

Her niece had been more than elated to share the day's events with her parents, that night. As they ate plates of pasta, they listened to Reese's version of their visit to Fazbear's--complete with all the 'sound effects' of the games they'd played. She'd proudly displayed her new plush toys, delving into how Auntie Faye had interacted with SpringBonnie. Clearly, Reese couldn't wait to go back. Deciding WHEN, though...even the girl's parents weren't sure. That was luckily decided for them, when one of Reese's friends from school invited her to their party at Fazbear's, later in that same week. Their second visit saw Fredbear and SpringBonnie perform on stage, their birthday girl requesting songs and sing-alongs. That meant Faye got to see her niece enjoy another day with her 'idol animatronic'. Her own interactions with the rabbit were slim, this time. However, she did enjoy the one sing-along he and Fredbear performed, before which the rabbit suggested a volunteer step up and assist in their singing. She was named the lucky aunt, that day.

That following weekend, things were different.

Playing pretend and having lunch at a friend's house, Reese was not present to go with Faye back to the establishment. Perfectly fine with the adult, as she'd no intention to stay and play, this trip. It was later in the afternoon when Faye stepped through Fazbear's doors, once again. It not only being a weekend, but also summer vacation, the place was packed. Used to the scents by now, Faye couldn't even smell the ever-baking cakes and pizza pies. Good thing too, with how many parties had been held here in just a matter of days. The lady standing behind the front counter wasn't Janet, but another dark-haired woman with streaks of blue. She wore the same uniform as Janet, though. Seeing Faye enter, she greeted her just as warmly as Janet had. "Joining a party, or here to pick someone up?" she asked. "Er, neither. I was, um, actually curious to know if, uh...if there were potentially any openings, job-wise? Or, if there might be openings, later down the road?" Faye responded, stepping up to the counter.

"Not at this time, I'm afraid. We did have some seasonal positions open, but they've filled rather quickly," the woman frowned her sympathy.

"Oh...I just thought I'd ask. I work at the Junior location, and...thought maybe I could transfer so I could be a little closer to the family."

"Ah, I understand. Unfortunately, we don't have anything to offer, currently. What I COULD do, though, is print off some positions that may be open in the Winter season, if you'd like? To be honest, most of those we hired are coming from school. Just to fill the break period until classes resume."

"I'm willing to take that. Thanks."

"Not a problem. Just grant me a few minutes."

While the lady toiled away on her computer, Faye casually stepped aside to wait, once more observing the place. The layout was, of course, different from Junior's. There wasn't a Pirate Cove at Junior's, for instance. Instead, there was a Kids' Cove, originally meant to the performance room for Toy Foxy. However, the animatronic had been built long before the room was finished, and uncontrolled children took to dismantling the poor fox. When they couldn't keep Toy Foxy intact, they cancelled the room's build, deciding to dump the animatronic over by the prize corner as an 'activity' for smaller children. She and her coworkers came to know the fox as "Mangle". Their prize corner also had the Marionette, whom was a large puppet of simple design. He presented those children who earned enough tickets with the rare prizes. Their main show stage was smaller, and instead of Freddy Fazbear and his band, they had the Toy Band. Smaller, less bulky animatronics, all with red cheeks as their trademark. When they weren't performing, they were allowed to wander the dining hall. Supervised, of course.

Unlike Fazbear's, Junior's didn't have any costumed employees to interact with kids. After seeing what was being done with this location, Faye found that a shame. Missed opportunity, there. She wondered what character she could pull off, if they ever changed their minds? Er...nothing that had machinery in it, though. She didn't feel comfortable with the idea of wearing a robot...

"Back again so soon, eh?" a familiar voice asked, startling her from thought. "Didn't bring the little one with you?"

Faye looked up at a tall, slim man. Dressed in a purple uniform shirt and dark pants, a guard hat on his head, he had a pale skin tone and somewhat long, deep-purple hair. Some of it was tied back. Judging by his attire, he had to be one of the building's guards. "Uh...my niece...?" she wondered, expression unsure. As if able to read it, the man glanced himself over. "Oh...right. My apologies. I must look different, outside my golden shell," he smirked, turning to look at SpringBonnie. He and Fredbear were active, standing up on stage and engaging kids as they were in the middle of asking questions. Someone else was apparently wearing the rabbit, this visit. "Wait...wait...you mean, YOU'RE...?" Faye started to ask, though dropped it, rather convinced this was the man she'd met wearing Spring. "SpringBonnie. Normally, yes. And when not in his 'skin', I'm either the day or night guard," the man stated, then gave her a slight shrug. "Depends on the day."

"...Huh. I'm sorry. I'm...just not used to the sudden 'change' in appearance," she sheepishly smiled, feeling nervous.

"Nothing personal," he pardoned. "I just realized, I hadn't remembered my manners well enough to give you my name." He offered a hand to shake, which Faye quickly accepted. "I'm William, normally the soul behind our golden bunny. And...you're Faye, if I recall your name, correctly."

"Heheh...yeah. That's me."

"'Auntie Faye', according to your niece, yes?"

"Forever and always. But, uh, you can just address me as 'Faye'."

"Lovely to meet you in person. Or, face to face, rather."

"Likewise. So...you're a guard, too? Any solid position, or are they having you flip-flop?"

"Usually, I'm the day guard. Most days, though, I'm the rabbit. Management apparently likes how I have him act and sound, versus how others try and attempt. Children seem to appreciate it, as well."

"Well, you did a darn good job, the last couple times we were here."

"Thank you. Warms me to hear such compliments. Now, if I recall, you claim to be a guard, yourself?" He lifted a brow in slight intrigue.

"Hm, yes. Originally signed up as the night guard at the Junior location. On the rare instances that someone calls out, I have to be the day guard, too."

"Oh, a woman taking up the position as night guard? That's quite brave. Impressive, if I may add. After all, I've heard reports of how the animatronics occasionally act out."

"I have to wonder why, though. They're not as bad with me while I'm there at night."

"Hm, perhaps they've taken a liking to you?"

"I wouldn't say that. They still give me the occasional hard stare, now and again."

"Ah, Henry did tell me you told him about that. He was suggesting perhaps sending someone over to inspect them."

"If so, that'd be great. It's a bit unnerving to know you're being targeted by supposedly sentient robots."

William lightly chuckled, "Well, it IS against Fazbear policy to be there after hours--with the exception of the night guard, that is. Some think they believe you're an endoskeleton without a 'skin'. Can't have that, you see. It normally--"

"Scares the children. We found that out while putting Mangle back together on the party floor."

Confusion settled on the man's face. "Mangle?"

"What we call Toy Foxy. Kids keep tearing her apart, and we have a heck of a time putting her back together. Our management just gave up, after a while. We call her 'Mangle', now."

"Ah, I see." He cleared his throat, eyes skimming over their surroundings. "I...am aware it's against our policy to mingle as such with coworkers, same unit or not. But...not very many are able to catch my eye. I was hoping I could ask you if...well, perhaps...you wouldn't mind sparing time for dinner with me?"

Despite the warmth on her face, Faye did her best to maintain a calm appearance. "Are you asking me out on a date?" she smirked, an eye narrowed.

"...Well...I don't wish to be blunt with you. I just...heh...well, I have enjoyed what little time you've spent here, the prior visits. I just thought, eh...you'd like if we came to know one another. Er, outside the bunny suit."

She permitted a slight grin. "That depends. Your age?"

"The finicky type, are you?"

"I have limitations."

"I'm 34."

Huh. He wasn't that much older than Mitch.

"Where do you stand as far as relationships go?"

"That should be a matter of allowing appropriate time to get to know one another before anything serious. Should it not?"

"It should, it should. Um...it's just that...I've only got a little over a month of vacation time, and...I'm supposed to be spending it with my brother's family."

"Ah...I see."

"...On the other hand, I'm not seeing anyone. And I guess they won't need me around in the evenings. If, that is, you're okay with my short availability?"

"I'll accept any time you're willing to give me. Who knows? If all falls into place, perhaps there will be a transfer in the near future."

"I was looking into that. Sadly, there aren't any openings here, right now."

"I'm afraid not. Shame, though. I think you'd be an excellent addition to this location."

"Heh, thank you."

"So, shall we not continue to waste such precious time?"

"Oh! Right. Sorry. Um...number! You'll need my number." She glanced about for something with which to write, but ceased when he offered his cellphone. Accepting it with a nod, Faye entered and saved her number, handing it back to him. "Evenings alright with you?"

"Evenings are perfect, thank you," he returned, tucking his phone away.

"Good to know. Uh, shall I meet you? Or would you rather pick me up?"

"Heheh, jumping rather far ahead, there. Maybe we should wait for the phone call, first?"

"Tsk--right. I'm sorry. I haven't dated in...ever. Gives me the jitters, I guess."

"Don't be upset. It's understandable. Maybe you need the extra time to calm down?" He smiled, playfully. "Wouldn't want you to be nervous, the entire date."

"Yeah. I doubt that'd be a pleasant experience," she lightly snickered.

"Uh, miss? I'm sorry to interrupt, but..." spoke the lady at the counter. She held up a printed sheet of paper.

"Oh! Sorry! Thank you," Faye sheepishly grinned, reaching to accept the paper from her, folding it and tucking it in her back pocket. "So...call me, tonight?" she asked William, then. He faintly bowed his head, "You've my word, I will."

"Okay. Um, I'll be going, now. I'll see you, tonight."

Adjusting her glasses, Faye shyly made her way back out to the parking lot, returning the parting wave William gave her. On her way back to her car, she couldn't fight the grin on her face. Or the blush. A man had asked her out! A rather appealing one, at that! She gave the building another glance as she withdrew her keys.

Honestly, she couldn't wait to see the look on her brother's face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heh--I tend to get a little carried away at times when typing, so certain Parts may be longer than originally planned. (Just don't try to read those in a hurry. I'd suggest a day off, or something. XD)


	4. Part 4

"Ugh! How do you manage to do this?"

"Heheh. It takes practice, Faye. Don't rush it."

"I must have dropped this one bite of chicken at least five times, now..."

"Chica seeking her revenge, you think?"

"My niece asked for a mask and cake themed after her. I think she can look the other way, this one time."

Once more, the chicken slipped from between the chopsticks, flopping back into the bowl of rice it had come from. On the other side of the table, William muffled another chuckle. With a playful grin, Faye stuck the sticks into the bowl, running a hand through her hair. "They couldn't be considerate enough to give me a fork?" she asked, almost glaring at her food. Setting down his own eating utensils, he reached to help correct how she was holding them. "Here...like this."

The call had come through shortly after seven. It lasted only ten minutes, and when Faye had emerged from her room, ready to go, the rest of the family had returned home. Burgers were on the menu for them, that night. Not for the aunt, though. While they were seated in wait for the burgers to cook, Faye stepped out well-dressed and slipped her bag over her shoulder. "Not havin' dinner with us?" Rune had asked. "Not tonight, sorry. I've, um...I've actually got a date," the aunt had replied, promising to share the details upon her return. Thankfully, her brother wasn't present to hear the news, as he was outside prepping their burgers. Aware that it wouldn't take long for him to find out the cause behind her 'disappearance', Faye hurried to see herself out, hopping in her car and taking off for the destination they'd settled with over the phone.

A 30-minute drive landed Faye at an oriental restaurant. A rather...PRICEY...oriental restaurant. But she'd heard the food was amazing, so she was willing to give it a try. Problem was, she was horrible at eating with chopsticks, so it was likely she'd make a fool of herself over dinner. In the parking lot, she'd gotten out of her car to find a rather nice classic car, painted a lovely rich violet, parked nearby. A smile had crossed her face. Clearly, this man adored purple. When she'd entered the restaurant, he was already there, having gotten a table for them both. Faye could immediately tell he'd come straight from work, as he'd no time to change. Or at least, he hadn't bothered to. He'd left his hat in his car, so there was that much.

Currently, he was showing off his mastery of chopsticks. Faye was secretly envious.

Even with his advice and assistance, she was still struggling to eat with her sticks. When she'd reached the breaking point of stabbing her chicken, William tried not to laugh and offered a hand to take her sticks. "I'm sorry, I tried," Faye sheepishly grinned. "It's all fine. Mastering chopsticks is an art," he replied, quickly modifying her sticks with layered napkins and rubber bands. 'Cheater's chopsticks', as Faye had once heard them called. "Here you are. This should make your dining experience easier," he smirked, handing them back to her. Thanking him, she accepted them to give them a trial run. "Creative hands you've got there," she complimented, successful in eating her chicken. He casually shrugged, "Nothing compared to the machinery I work with. Specifically, most of the animatronics Fazbear entertainment uses."

"You built all of them?"

"Not ALL of them, but I did help design them all. In all honesty, I had my own line of animatronics--both designed and built by my hands."

"Really? Have I seen them?"

"Unfortunately, no. And I doubt you ever will. Before you ask why, just know it was the company's decision. You see, my business partner Henry and I are the brilliance behind the animatronics, themselves. In the early days, he would design the characters, and I would build them. But that was before our talents were discovered by Fazbear entertainment. They wanted us to design animatronics for their restaurant chain. One unit was simple enough. But over the years, more and more restaurants were opened. There simply weren't enough hands to keep providing more and more characters. Too many themes, too many desired concepts. We ended up making the decision to send off our blueprints to factories."

"And, your line of characters?"

"My attempt to impress the company. When we were first 'discovered', the founders asked for us each to design robotic characters they could potentially use for a chain of family-oriented restaurants. Henry began work on his, I began mine. My line of robots were...well, to be blunt, rather huge. 'Metal giants', some would say. But their size served a purpose. Not only were mine built with functions to dance and sing, but they were also given special features. Features Henry hadn't thought to incorporate in his own designs. Some of mine could imitate voices, sounds. Others instilled parental skills toward upset or frightened children. My lead character, Circus Baby, could not only sing and dance, but inflate balloons and produce ice cream."

Faye's brows rose to display her amazement. "Wow...! Shoot, if I could have something like that in my business, that's what I'd aim for."

His smile faltered. "That was exactly my first impression. After all, what more could make a child happy than ice cream and balloons? Unfortunately, my special features were...rather costly. They practically shoved my designs far beyond the company's budget."

"Oh. So they settled with Henry's, instead."

"I'm afraid so. They were more simplistic in design and in function. They weren't meant to dance or move as mine were, but they could interact with each other, as well as sing and engage the audience. They were well within the company's financial reach, so it was Henry's designs they settled upon."

"...What happened to yours?"

He sighed, "For now? They're being held in storage, below my house. I've hopes to one day open my own restaurant, perhaps give my characters another shot in the spotlight."

"I'm sorry to hear that. Part of me wishes I could see them."

"You probably would have loved them, too."

She smiled back. "Well...on the plus, you've SpringBonnie, still."

"Ah, yes. He and Fredbear both were Henry's ideas. Although his design choices won out over mine, he still wanted me to be a part of his success. So, he built two special character suits. Mine ended up being the golden rabbit. The voice and personality I could give him were something no other could provide. So, even though I have to unfortunately share the rabbit, he's still named mine because...well...hm..."

"Because you practically complete each other? I mean, he's just as much a part of you as you are of him. He provides the appearance, and you provide the over-all character. You're basically the reason Spring's my niece's favorite. So...thanks for that."

"Ah, you're too kind. And it's always a pleasure to be the reason behind a child's smile. No need to thank me." William silenced long enough to sip his beverage, pausing to think over his next words. "I have to ask you something. It's been a sort of plague on my brain."

"Hm? Sure. What is it?"

"...Do you think robots could harbor souls?"

Her chewing stopped, and she peered up at him from her bowl. "Pardon? Do I think robots could harbor...souls?"

He gestured faintly at a shrug, shoving another bite of beef into his mouth.

"That's a rather bizarre question to ask. But...yes." She hurried to explain with the look of surprise he gave her. "I mean, robots and machines in general are made by human hands, right? So, it's like putting a bit of one's self into every creation. Kinda like how the saying goes, 'I put my blood, sweat, and tears into it'. You're essentially saying you've put everything--a bit of yourself--into what you've made. The animatronics the company uses might not have all been made by your hands, but you and Henry put a heck of a lot of thought into each and every one of them. And right now, you're really putting everything into SpringBonnie. I never thought you guys could make robots you could WEAR. Although, it's a little dangerous, isn't it?"

He smirked, expression relaxed. "Not a duty for amateurs, certainly. You have to understand the mechanisms themselves, not just the characters."

"What if something goes wrong, though? Like...what if bits of the endoskeleton come loose?"

"Hm, that's actually happened to me, once before."

He openly laughed at the shock on her face. "Now, now, it wasn't fatal. Obviously. That particular day, I chose to wear the wrong sort of pants, and it caught on the retracted bits. Unfortunately, I ended up with metal skewers through my leg."

Faye physically cringed at the imagery.

"Surgeons recommended I didn't wear the suit again, but...as you said, he's as much a part of me as I am, him. I had to get back in the suit. Fazbear's wouldn't be the same without me."

"...Spazz, dude, you're brave."

"Heheh...thank you. Ah, but what are we doing, occupying our date with talk of work? You know a little of me. Yet, I know very little of you. Uh, would you care...?"

"Heh, certainly. Well, my brother and I have lived in the city setting almost all of our lives. Our parents passed in a car accident when I was just starting high school, so it's been my brother's responsibility to look after me until graduation. My first job was with Fazbear's as well, initially just manning the front counter. I was promoted some months later to work the prize corner, and then a year later, I was given the chance to work the day guard shift. I tried it, just to see how well I would do. They, of course, gave me some training, showed me what to do. And for my first week, I worked with a partner. My second week on, I worked to prove my worth. My hours were increased, better pay soon following. Eventually, they offered to have me work the night shift, and I've been working it, since."

"What drew you to it in the first place?"

"To the job, or the business?"

"Well...I meant the job, but both sounds fair."

"I guess...because I was still in school, and was looking for a job to start saving up some money. They needed someone to greet customers, so...I got the job after applying twice. From there, it was just a matter of putting in the time and effort. It was mind-boggling to me in working for a business that featured animatronics of such detail. I'd been to a similar restaurant in my childhood, but...there was something almost magical about Fazbear's. The characters didn't just perform, they interacted with people. That gave them a more life-like quality versus other places."

"Have you given any thought as to whether or not you'll stay with Fazbear entertainment?"

"Hm...granted, I'm not a fan of the hours. But they pay me well enough, and the pizza's always free while I'm on the clock. So, I can't complain too much."

"Free pizza, hm? Well, I'm glad to see you haven't let it ruin your figure~"

To that, Faye balled up a napkin and chucked it at him. "What are you doing, checking me out before the first date?" she grinned at his laugh. "I'm sorry, really. I shouldn't have. However, it's not as if I've much to do within a robot rabbit. Besides, you work with children all day, as well. I'm sure you understand," he replied. With a short hum, Faye pulled her drink closer. "If not for that much, I would have left you at this table in a heartbeat," she said.

"And if you had, I wouldn't hold it against you. My apologies for my past actions."

"...You made Reese happy, so I'll let that slide. This time. Don't do it again," she play-threatened with her chopsticks. "Bad bunny~"

William again chuckled, resuming his meal before it grew cold.

********************************************

Mitch wasn't happy to hear where his sister had gone off to.

The evening she returned from her date, Faye was faced with questions shot from both her brother and her sister-in-law. The latter was more interested in how well the first date had gone. Mitch, on the other hand, wanted to know what else was so important that it needed to steal his sibling's attention from the family. She was visiting him and his family, not whomever this mystery man was. Thankfully, the 'confrontation' didn't turn into a full-blown argument, as he didn't want to wake his daughter, upstairs. However, he was still rather upset that Faye would sneak out to see someone. Unfortunately for him, his wife sided with his sister. "She may be your sister, Love, but she's still a woman. If she cares to meet with someone, who are we to stop her? She's, what, 25 now? It's about time she met a man," Rune had scolded him as they prepped for bed. He couldn't argue with her. She was right: Faye was a woman, not a little girl. But it wasn't the fact she was no longer the quirky high school kid he was responsible for that upset him. It was simply because she hadn't spoken to him about seeing someone at the same time she was visiting with family.

Rune was insistent he leave the subject be the next morning, when everyone had gathered for breakfast. The red-head herself had quite the interest, though. Not a word was spoken regarding it, until Faye emerged from the guest room. "You know, you never did fill me in on any o' the details," Rune smirked over the pancakes that had been made. A confused Faye glanced from her brother to her sister-in-law, "I thought we decided to drop that subject...?"

"Aye...I'd asked your brother here to stop all the fussin'. He was upset you were seekin' someone to date. Not that he'd tell you, o' course." Rune sent a short glare Mitch's way. The man didn't speak, choosing instead to occupy his mouth with pancakes and eggs. "We talked a lil' after callin' it a night, and I told him he needs to lighten up some when it comes to you. You're far old enough to date someone, and I say it's time you did," Rune finished, reaching to pat Faye's shoulder. Before the aunt could respond, Reese peered around the table at every adult before finally asking, "Why's everyone cranky, this morning? Did something happen?"

Rune permitted a subtle smile, "Your father's crabby that his sister's datin' a man."

"Is that where Auntie Faye had gone?"

"On a date, aye."

"...Who's the lucky guy?"

Both Faye and Rune restrained laughs at the question, aware Mitch didn't think the same. "Do we really need to know who it is?" he put in, failing in his attempt to not sound bitter. "I think we do. After all, what if something were to go wrong?" his wife spoke, seemingly done with his mentality on the subject. Setting down his fork, Mitch set his elbows on the table, hands pressed together in front of himself. "Fine, then. Since everyone wants to know, so badly..." he gave in, despite not being happy about it. "Yeah! Who is it?" Reese again chimed in, faintly bouncing in her seat.

Suddenly, Faye felt awkward. Being put in the spotlight like this...she worried she'd say something to set someone off. But they were all waiting to hear, so...here went something. "Well...you guys know the yellow rabbit at Fazbear's?" she began, Rune humming her confirmation and Reese nodding. "Yep--SpringBonnie," the child smiled back. "Aye, that commercial airs on TV, occasionally. A rather silly character, I have to say," the mother added. Mitch only furrowed his brows. The gold rabbit at the restaurant? What did he have to do with this? "Okay. Good. Because...it's the guy whom normally plays his character. The same guy whom wore SpringBonnie, the day of Reese's party," Faye sheepishly grinned, sinking in place. Reese reacted with a surprised gasp, followed up with an excited giggle. Mitch appeared conflicted, while Rune permitted a knowing smile. "I guess that means Fazbear's had something even for you, not just kids~" the mother picked. "You're dating SpringBonnie?!" cried Reese, almost tipping over her glass of milk as a result of her excitement. Setting a hand on her daughter to sit her back down, Rune turned her focus once more to Faye. "What's his name?"

"Just a first name, so far: William."

"You know anythin' about him?"

"Yeah...he's one of the two people behind most of the animatronics' designs, and a co-founder of Fazbear's. He's the puzzle-solving type, very intelligent. Attended college to pursue his talent in robotics, where he'd met and befriended his business partner. He's also incredibly humorous; he'd made me laugh throughout most of the date. I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and...well, we already agreed on a second...date."

"You...you what?" started a frustrated Mitch. "Now, wait a minute. You said you took the time off to come visit US, not with some guy."

"Aw, don't get your boxers in a wad," Rune immediately jumped to the defensive. "What's the harm in sharin' her time off?"

"Dearest, we had agreed the time was to be spent with the family."

"Aye, we did. And she is. But a man's finally stepped into the picture, Love. Ya want your sister to be alone, forever?"

His jaw opened to reply, shutting when he couldn't think of the words. No. Of course he didn't want his sister to be alone. Nobody deserved that. But his own SISTER? Dating someone? What if this man attempted something slick? He wouldn't be there to protect his sibling. Mitch spoke nothing else through slightly bared teeth. His wife reached to pat one of his hands. "Now, now, before you burst a vein. Look, I'll be off from work, tomorrow. If it'll help ya feel better about all this, I'll take Reese with me and go to Fazbear's with Faye. I'll get a level on whom this man o' hers is, decide whether or not he's a good fit, aye? Just give the man a chance. We haven't even met him, yet."

Minutes passed before Mitch finally let his shoulders slack. "He gets one. And if he doesn't fit the bill--"

"We won't go back, promise," Rune interrupted, reassuringly. "If he passes, though, shall we extend the invitation to dinner?"

Conflict once again took to Mitch's face as he glanced to her. "Dinner...? In our home?"

"Well, if he's a good man, why give him the cold shoulder?"

Again, he'd nothing to say in turn.

"Not to worry. All in good time," Rune smiled at him, standing to gather empty plates. "We're going back to Fazbear's?" wondered a giddy Reese, peering up through her glasses at her mother. "Tomorrow, aye. I've still one day o' work ahead o' me," Rune responded, giving her husband a peck on the cheek as she left for the kitchen. "Yay!" Reese cheered, pausing her celebrating to finish her milk. "Auntie Faye, can we still go back, today?" she then asked. A tired grin crossed Faye's features, a brow raised. "Why don't we take a break from the pizzeria, today? I'm sure SpringBonnie would appreciate a break from us, now and then. He's a busy rabbit, after all. Besides, your mom just said 'tomorrow'."

"Oh. Okay. So what are we doing, today?"

"Heheh. Why don't we head to the pool, instead? I'm sure we can get in a few hours of having it to ourselves, if we hurry and get ready."

"...Can Emmy come?"

"Only if you want him to be bleached, later."

"...Nevermind. I'll go get ready!"

Faster than Faye could keep track of, Reese rushed from the table to dash back upstairs. "She really misses that puppet," Faye sighed, a defeated look aimed at her brother. "...Suppose she does. She used to spend a lot of time around the prize corner. Before we moved, that is," he commented, finishing his coffee. His sibling hummed. "I can't say I blame her for wanting to bring the doll everywhere. It's really the only little piece of him she's got. But it's also the only one I brought with me."

"And you don't want her to lose it," Mitch spoke his understanding.

Faye somewhat chuckled, "I got it from the puppet, himself. He'd hang me if he found out something happened to his mini-self."

The pair were interrupted then by a ring tone from Faye's pocket. She withdrew her phone to first check the caller ID, then answered. "Hey, boss. Good morning." Silence followed, as Faye was listening to the man on the other end, and her family didn't wish to disrupt the message. The aunt's brows furrowed at what she was told. "...Have I seen him? No, sir. I've been out of town for a couple of days, now. He was there when I last left, though." Further silence. "Well, have you thought to check the camera feed? See if anyone broke in, after hours?" Even more silence. "You had changed the code, sir. Remember? It's 1983, now." Continued silence. "If you find out anything, keep me informed. I'd like to know, myself." A pause. "Yes, sir. Thank you. I'll see you when I return. Bye." Faye then hung up, expression puzzled.

"What's wrong, squirt?" Mitch asked, Rune rejoining them with the same curiosity. His sister peered back at him, expression never changing.

"Marionette's gone missing."

*****************************************

Faye didn't speak a word of the puppet to Reese. Especially not to Reese.

The happy child was left blissfully unaware, as the aunt knew her knowing would only make her distraught. She treated the Marionette as her best friend, always going to see him whenever she'd visit. At least, back before she and her parents moved, she did. Reese was only five years old when her parents first brought her by the third location. At the time, Faye had been an employee for a number of years, uncertain as to why the child's parents had waited so long to bring her to Junior's. Turns out, they weren't convinced their daughter wouldn't be terrified by the robotic animals, so they held off until she was old enough to distinguish reality from fantasy. Reese quickly took to the prize corner's Marionette, finding him absolutely fascinating. Granted, all he was programmed to do was make the occasional appearance from his box and give rare prizes to the persistent ticket-winning child. He'd always been a riddle to Faye. Not quite a robot, but not quite a doll, either. All she'd been told from her coworkers was that he'd a plush exterior and a metal skeletal frame. What he was, exactly...it seemed no one knew.

All that her niece understood was that the puppet was friendly and handed out hard-to-win plush dolls. She didn't hang out with other kids, choosing instead to spend her time around Marionette's box when she wasn't eating pizza at the table or playing games on the arcade floor. She had even gone as far as to give him a nickname and a personality. "He looks after the animatronics when no one else is here," she had once stated on a drive home. Faye could only smile at the story. Reese had quite the imagination.

Still, it was a wonder as to who would go as far as to steal the puppet. He was limited in function, and at 4 feet in height, he wasn't as tall as the animatronics. His design was unique, compared to the others. But beyond that...who would have taken him? Leaning against the exterior of Rune's car, Faye withdrew her phone, eyes on the screen. No new messages, no phone calls. Maybe her boss still didn't know what had become of 'Emmy', yet? Until she knew something, she couldn't breathe a word of it around Reese. Faye tucked her device away upon hearing her niece's laughter. The morning of their trip back had come, and for an early summer day, it was rather muggy. Humid. All thanks to rain, the previous night. Hating how the humidity pricked at her skin, the aunt had decided on a long-sleeved shirt and jeans, despite it being summer. It was supposed to rain again, later in the day. If they were lucky, their time spent at Fazbear's would see to the rain's passing.

As soon as her sister-in-law unlocked the car, Faye slipped into the backseat, allowing Reese to take up her place at her mother's side. Being where she couldn't be seen also let Faye think to herself, lose touch with reality in her thoughts. She could hear Reese excitedly go on about returning to the restaurant, but she wasn't exactly listening. Her thoughts were too far focused on the whereabouts of the puppet. Had someone perhaps taken him to Parts and Services for repairs, and just hadn't said anything? It couldn't hurt to text her boss the suggestion. After all, he was the type of person to panic if Toy Bonnie's jaw didn't open fully for a couple seconds of a song, or if Toy Chica didn't turn to the left or right in cue with the same song's beat. Minorities constantly set him off. Perhaps he was just overreacting?

"Auntie Faye? Are you getting out?" Reese asked, staring at her aunt from the now open car door. Snapping out of her thoughts, Faye smiled back, casually playing it off as she unbuckled her seat belt. "Absolutely. Just thought about going back to sleep, the whole ride." Standing, Faye shut her door and joined her family on the way inside. A young man stood at the entrance counter, this time. After an exchange of warm greetings, Faye approached said counter. "A quick question. Uh, do you know if a mister William is present, today?" she asked. The man blinked once in thought, "William...? Uh...oh! Yes, he's here, today. I helped open with him, this morning." Smiling to herself, Faye thanked the man, briefly handing him her proof of employment to earn her family its discounts. With everything squared away, the trio proceeded into the main dining area.

"Oi, it's larger in here than I thought. Makes Junior's seem tiny," Rune commented, typing back her long red hair. "It also has more to offer than ours does. Shame it's supposed to rain again, else we could have tried out the go-carts, out back," Faye replied, gesturing to the glass door at the far end of the building. A sign depicting the restaurant's main characters stated the small raceway's temporary closure. "Since when did they have go-carts?" wondered Rune. "Beginning of the summer. It's a new addition. Too bad it's also the rainy season," the aunt shrugged back, patting Reese's head when the small child whined her displeasure. "Lots to do inside, though. Let's not dwell on what we can't change," she added, ruffling the child's hair. "Ooh! Air hockey?" suggested Reese, immediately perking up. "So long as you don't cheat, again. We both know what Fredbear had said," Faye told her, watching her quickly zip off for the machine. Rune stayed by Faye's side, keeping her voice low as she spoke, "So, where's this 'mystery man' o' yours? Working, today?"

"As far as I know, he is." The short-haired brunette glanced about the restaurant, wasting no time in spotting the yellow rabbit. SpringBonnie and Fredbear were up on their stage, performing. Judging by their limited movements and by the fact their large animatronic eyes were back in place, it was easy to tell they weren't in Suit Mode. "They're just not wearing the suits, right now. I guess they're on break," Faye concluded, feeling a little disappointed. "Ah, so that's the rabbit you spoke of, is it?" Rune piped in, leaning herself to better view the golden animals on stage. "And they wear those things?"

"When occasion calls for it," Faye nodded, depositing her tokens at the machine to begin her first round with her niece.

The mother figure took to resting herself at the edge of the table, "Suppose that means we'll meet him in person rather than behind a bunny's face, then." She slyly peered over both of her shoulders. "Any hint as to what he looks like?" Faye kept her eyes on the table between herself and Reese, not wanting to let her niece score any quick points. "He's the only guy with purple hair," she stated, blocking the puck from entering her goal. "Purple...? Alright," muttered Rune, daring a curious look around the environment. Not a soul matching that description was to be seen. Still, the day was young; there was plenty of time to encounter what sort of man had apparently taken Faye's interest hostage.

***************************************

"Pizza's here, ladies!" Faye called from their table, an employee approaching to carefully set down their pies. Mother and daughter were caught up in a head-to-head match on a racing game. Reese had talked her mother into it. Since the two rarely shared time these days, what with both parents working, Faye took up residence in the metaphorical 'back seat', choosing to order their lunch while they raced. At the announcement, the pair wrapped up their race in favor of hot food. "I call crap! That building came out of nowhere," Reese griped, having lost the match. "Ah, don't be bitter, sweetheart. After a quick bite, we'll go for another round. Aye?" Rune offered, patting her child's back. "Okay. Can I have the first slice?" Reese frowned up at her. "Certainly," her mother returned, keeping her casual pace as her daughter bolted ahead. All three were soon seated and passing plates, the adults helping the child with her first slices.

As they began eating, music announced the next show. On stage, Freddy and his friends once again introduced Fredbear and SpringBonnie. Only this time, Faye could tell there were people wearing them. The rabbit's voice and human eyes told her whom it was--and it was just enough to warm her cheeks. She felt Rune nudge her with her elbow. "Aye, is that him?" Unable to mask her grin, Faye nodded back. Both were silent as the gold rabbit and bear spoke to one another, excited children hurrying to stand at the barrier separating them from the stage. The lights dimmed during the opening conversation, as both rabbit and bear acknowledged and addressed certain children among their audience. A part of Faye hoped the dark would be enough of a cover to hide her from the rabbit's sight. Heh. Funny. She didn't used to be 'concerned' about that...

"Why the shy act, sis? You two know each other, don't you?" Rune slightly picked at Faye. "Yes, I know him. Sort of. We've only been on one date," responded the aunt, pushing aside her plate to set her head down and try to cover it with her arms. "Then why not try to say 'hi'? Am sure he'd like to know you're here," urged her sister-in-law. "Rune, you don't quite get it: I'm DATING the rabbit," Faye grinned, a hand dipping under her glasses to rub at her face. The Irish woman paused to think this over. She spared a quick glance around the kid-filled room. Then... "Ohh." Faye nodded her confirmation, slowly. "If he's the type of person that I think he is, he'll pick me out of the crowd on purpose," she explained. "Ah. Well...then I guess it's a good thing he has--" Rune began, but was soon cut off.

"Heh, I think I see another familiar face, out there. Or two," came SpringBonnie's voice, confirming Faye's 'fear'. Despite her grin, she almost wished she could curse at herself. Keeping a hand over her face, she turned her head enough to glance at the stage. Beside her and Rune, Reese shot up in her seat, wildly waving a hand at him. As if to block the stage lights, the rabbit lifted a hand over his eyes. Feigning surprise, he gestured to the little girl. "Would ya look at that? It's my biggest fan~" Thrilled to be recognized, Reese giggled her response. "What's one more to add to the pile? We all know you have quite the following," Fredbear spoke up with a deep chuckle. Spring paused, as if in thought. "My lord, you're right...!" he said, also feigning shock. In a humorous act, he stepped behind the large bear. "Tell them I'm not here," he joked, several members of the audience laughing or chuckling. "I'm going to the restroom," Faye told her family, slyly attempting to sneak her way out of sight under the cover of...what form of darkness there was. Half of her didn't want to be shoved into the spotlight like that. That part of her didn't want other people suspecting anything--especially if it somehow reached the ears of those she worked with, back home. That might cost her job. However, the other half of her DID want to be called out, since it would be an occurrence others would never experience. She'd a feeling most females would be jealous~

Faye had only gotten around their table and was making the short walk to the restrooms, when...

"Hey, sugar. Where's the fire?"

She dared a glance over her shoulder, smirking at the bunny re-emerging from behind Fredbear. In play, she held up a hand by her eyes to block her vision, continuing her walk out of sight. "Aw, you're just gonna leave us like that?" Spring asked, tone playful. Faye kept her grin, though still refused to return his gaze. There was a second of silence, and for a moment, she thought he'd given up.

"Baby, come back!" he continued. At that, Faye audibly laughed, as did many of those still in attendance around the stage. Well, at least it wasn't an embarrassing moment. Blushing, Faye turned her grinning face to the rabbit, acknowledging the wink he shot her with a heart-shape formed with her fingers. "Oh, there you go--adding more to your fan base, wherever you go," Fredbear played along, ever so lightly patting his partner on the back. Thankful that any suspicion was passed off as an act, Faye disappeared around the corner, deciding to extend the period of peace and quiet that followed.

*****************************************

How much time had she spent in here? Hm. At least long enough for the show outside to end. Standing by the sinks, Faye silently withdrew her phone to check the time. Spazz--fifteen minutes? Longest she'd ever spent in a public restroom. It had been enough time to let her blush settle down. There was that much. Figuring it was 'safe', the brunette moved to step back out.

Nearly bumping into her sister-in-law in the process.

"Ack! Oh, sorry, Rune. Wasn't my aim to bump you," Faye quickly apologized, stepping aside when able. "It's fine. I was just comin' over to check in on you. You sorta vanished on us early into the show," Rune pardoned, gesturing behind them to their table and the show stage, both. Freddy and his band had reclaimed the spotlight, Fredbear and SpringBonnie nowhere to be seen. "That wasn't part of the plan. Sorry," Faye sheepishly smiled, shoulders hunched. "Ah, why the shy act? Not used to havin' a man flirt with ya?" picked the red-head, planting an arm around Faye's shoulders and leading her back to their table. "Not really. I kinda panicked. I tried to reciprocate, but I guess the action in question had gone, unseen," replied the aunt, seating herself when the two returned to their table. Blissfully unaware of her aunt's 'distress', Reese chewed on another slice of pizza, occupied by the musical performance the Fazbear Band put on. "I'm sure he'd seen the gesture, Faye. No doubt he'll come to comment on it before we leave," Rune assured in seating herself, as well.

Oh, Faye was sure he'd come out to comment. Unlike her, he wasn't the shy type. She wondered just how well he'd taken the flirty gesture. After all, it was too early in their relationship to be shooting each other heart-shapes. Still, a part of her was convinced she was on stable grounds to risk such a gesture. He'd started it. She was only trying to finish it. Luckily, her group was left alone to finish their meal and show. Only after the curtain closed on the Fazbear Band did Faye anxiously peer around the room. No sign of him. At least...not until she heard familiar laughter from the kitchen. Through the door walked William, dressed rather...casually. It didn't strike Faye that he was also working as the day guard, that day. Instead of his uniform, he wore a simple shirt and a pair of pants that...well, seemingly hugged his figure. That blush returned as Faye caught herself staring. So THAT'S what he wore under the rabbit...

William spoke a moment longer to the chef in the kitchen, passing his thanks to them before walking back into the main dining room. It didn't take long for their gazes to meet, a persistently-shy Faye offering a meager wave at him. Smiling back, he then approached their table. "You know, I can't help but to get the feeling you just can't seem to avoid this place," he greeted, taking a second to observe the rest of her group. "No place like it, elsewhere. Besides, the attendants here are rather...hm, captivating," Faye responded, noticing his curious stare. "Oh! Um, ladies, you both know William by now, I hope? Er, Will, this is Rune. Reese's mother." The red-head in question smiled politely in her nod to him, "It's a pleasure to finally meet the man Faye's spoken so highly of." Beside her, Reese waved rather cutely--which William immediately returned. "Pleasure to meet you, as well. On top of familiar faces, of course," he stated, unable to keep from smiling at Reese's giggle.

"I'm sure you can understand how much of a surprise it was for us to learn Faye here had finally met someone. Granted, she's never dated before, and is likely a bit shy in your company. I hope that isn't a deterrent for you," Rune spoke on Faye's behalf. "Honestly, I've not met a woman whom wasn't shy, at first. I suppose that's a curse of mine. But I've grown accustomed to it. Given time, perhaps she will, as well?" His tone sounded hopeful, which was enough to calm Faye's nerves. That much told her he still held interest in her. What seriousness there was among the adults was tossed out the window when Reese spoke up. "Was your hair always purple?" she asked, gently tugging at the ends of her own. "Actually, no. This is a new color I've been trying out, over the weeks. It used to be a shade of blue. Dark blue, I think. And before that, it was pink. I couldn't decide at that time whether to start with pink or green," Will answered after a moment's pause.

"Pink?" Reese giggled.

"Well, I wanted to shoot for colors more appealing to children. Considering where it is I work..." He gestured around them at the vast selection of activities, just to make his point. "Why do you ask, if I may? Should I try a different color?"

"Mm...rainbow."

All three adults either laughed or snickered. "That would be rather difficult to pull off, I think. And anyway, I work at a pizzeria, not a candy store," he carefully rejected. "How does purple fit in with a pizza place?" Reese questioned further. "Bonnie's purple, isn't he?" William returned, thoughtfully. "Oh. Yeah, I guess he is. And you play a Bonnie," the child confirmed, to which he nodded. "There you go~"

In that instant, Rune felt it only proper to give Faye and William some time to themselves, pardoning herself and Reese to go play some more games. In their departure, the man silently motioned to an empty chair near Faye, seating himself with her permission. "Long morning?" Faye began, cleaning herself with napkins after having helped herself to more pizza. "You look tired," she tacked on. Seemingly slacking in his seat, the man lightly rubbed at his face. "I'm not surprised if I do. Sleep's been a never-ending game of chase, for me," he excused. "Work, or something more personal?" the woman asked.

"A bit of both. While I enjoy the task, wearing the suit consistently takes its toll--and I'm not as young as I used to be."

"Pff--maybe not physically. Mentally, though..."

"Hah, imagination has no age."

"Hm, fair. And...what's going on, personally? If it's okay to ask?"

"Ah, nothing you need to worry about. Just minor annoyances I plan to resolve on my own. Less stressful, that way."

He glanced by her to wave someone over. Not long after, an employee from the kitchen brought over his order: a plate of hot sandwiches and some soup. "Hm! I didn't see any of THAT on the menu," Faye commented, peering up from his plate. His worn grin became sheepish. "Sometimes, you get tired of pizza," he stated back. Faye lifted a brow, "An extended lunch break, I take it?"

"Comes with those shifts I'm required to don the rabbit suit. I consider it a perk."

"I need to start asking about menu items, back home. The only other item on our menu is chicken strips. And I really don't plan on upsetting Toy Chica."

"No desire to 'poke the dragon'?"

"She hasn't bothered me in quite some time. I don't need to give her reason to sneak into my office space. Although, I still don't get why the animatronics act the way they do after closing. They're not so much with me, but with the male guards, they're...rather violent."

"...I tend to think it's because the guards aren't wearing a costumed character, and it may have the animatronics believing they're endoskeletons with no 'skin'."

"I know, it's against code to be present after hours. They're programmed to entertain humans during day hours, and at night, we're all supposed to be at home. I mean, I guess we could, in a way, resemble the endos. Still, I'm hoping the boss puts in an order to have them examined."

Both looked when Reese called to them. "Mom's going to play a zombie game with me!" the child called through a wide smile. "Good luck! Don't let her get eaten!" Faye called back. The little girl mimicked a salute, then ran from view behind the number of game machines. The purple-haired man chuckled, "You know, she reminds me of my daughter." Daughter? Well, THAT prompted a question or two. "Your...daughter?" Faye's expression morphed from confusion to worry. "You're married?" He sighed, expression saddened. "Once. But not anymore."

The brunette suddenly felt queasy, and it wasn't from the pizza. "W-would it...uh, be okay to discuss it? Er, I mean, if you'd rather not, I won't insist," she spoke, not wanting to come off as rude. Or intrusive.

He appeared to be contemplating the subject in silence, occupying himself by eating. "For now...let's just say there was an accident involving my daughter, and in its aftermath, my wife...insisted on a divorce, and took our two sons with her."

"...Gosh...I'm sorry. I take it she...um, your daughter didn't...?"

"Survive the incident? No. But for right now, I prefer we leave it be."

"Oh, of course! Yes. Again, I'm sorry."

"No offense, I know. Nothing you should worry about."

She nervously sank in her seat, arms crossed over her lap. "Hm...would it be possible to...maybe...see a picture?" Catching herself, she tried to correct her suggestion. "You don't have to, if don't want to. I just thought...since you've met a few of my family members, it couldn't hurt to...at least see what your family was like?" Spazz, that sounded bad. Her aim wasn't to open up old wounds. Usually, discussing family was a pleasant thing. Not the case with William, it seemed. When he didn't reply, she nearly spoke up to pardon her request. He motioned silently to withdraw something from a back pocket. In a free hand, he produced an open wallet. On display was a picture of himself with a blonde-haired woman and three children. The eldest of the trio was a teenage boy, brown-haired and hands shoved into the pockets of his jacket, smirking at the camera. The youngest children were a little boy and a girl. The youngest son also had brown hair, and wore a black and white-striped shirt. The little girl, William's daughter, was a red-head, just a few shades lighter than Rune's. In the picture, she wore a cute dress, outlines of butterflies imprinted on its fabric.

Something about the picture brought a smile to Faye's features. Everyone looked so happy. But where had it all gone wrong? "Is it safe to assume you're originally a brunet, yourself?" she wondered, looking up from the image. He permitted a slight smile, "Before I began coloring it." Accepting the response, she returned to examining the picture. Right away, she felt something familiar about the two boys in question. Almost as if...she'd seen them, before. Where, though? She wracked her brain, trying to recall their placement. "Wait...I've seen these two," she said, tapping on both of the boys' images. The man across from her stopped his eating. "Y-you have...?!"

Faye nodded, slowly, "Yes. Junior's! That's where I've seen them. They came by, a few times. I've seen them, twice. The first time was this past Spring Break. Second was a couple weeks before school let out for the summer. The first time, the boys came in rather happy, all excited. The eldest was in charge of their money. I didn't see the woman--er, your wife. I guess they'd come, alone. They'd enjoyed themselves, that visit. But the second time, something seemed off. The youngest was nervous, almost scared. And the eldest had taken to wearing a Foxy mask. He didn't seem as kindly as he had been, the first time. I wasn't at work the day I heard the news. There had been an incident with Mangle..."

Her heart skipped a beat. There was a REASON Mangle had been pulled from the Cove.

"An incident? What happened?" Will urged, worried.

"...I didn't get all of the details. My boss only said kids weren't to go near Mangle, anymore." And she didn't think it was because Mangle looked scary. "I haven't seen the boys, since. I don't even know if they're still nearby," she finished, pulling back from the picture. "I'm sorry. I don't know if any of that's helped you, any."

"...It's helped a lot, actually. There's hope to be found in a recent sighting." Will faintly chuckled, apparently lost in a memory. "He always did favor Junior's..."

When he didn't continue his explanation, Faye softly spoke up. "Your kids. Uh, what were their names?"

The man set his open wallet on the table, gaze on the picture as he continued his now cold meal. "Michael is my eldest. My daughter is--was Elizabeth. And 'Junior's biggest fan'..." He tapped the image of his youngest son. "This is Cassidy."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would have had this posted earlier, but work comes first. My apologies in advance for future Parts. Be patient with me, please. XD;;


	5. Part 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI: A small nudge toward "mature" material is included, but nothing graphic; simply flirty. ^^;

Her light-blue eyes flickered over the screen, not once ripping themselves away. Report after report flew by as she scrolled through the list. Something had to catch her eye...

Since the last visit at Fazbear's, Faye couldn't rid her mind of the image of the family picture William had shown her. Especially not of the two boys. 'Michael' and 'Cassidy', were they? She recalled having seen them around the restaurant. The first time, they were having such fun. The elder of the two led the younger to play the best games Junior's had to offer. The younger brother, Cassidy, laughed himself to tears as the two ate pizza at the dining tables. They'd cheered each other on over the games they'd played, high-fiving each other with their high scores. Cassidy had left with his brother that day, a new Toy Freddy plush tucked in an arm.

Months later, just before school let out for Summer vacation, they'd returned. And it was a completely different scenario.

The elder brother, Michael, had a Foxy mask on his head and an unfriendly grin on his face. Cassidy once again had accompanied him, but it wasn't a look of joy he'd held. He'd looked terrified. Tears threatened to spill as he'd cast worried glances around himself, as if expecting something to jump out at him. When she saw them again, Michael was laughing rudely at his brother, whom was curled up below a table, crying. If not for another employee approaching to talk to them, she would have neared to ask what was going on. Some part of her wished now that she had.

Just days before Summer break began, she'd heard the news while on shift. There had been an incident with Mangle. Now, nobody was allowed to go near the broken fox. But what exactly the incident had been, not even her boss would say. Yet...certainly, there had to be something about it on the Internet. If the business wasn't deemed safe anymore, she had every reason in the book to try and get herself out. Her finger kept scrolling, reports continuing to fly by. All of them, simple ratings and feedback from recent guests. A few of them commented on the staff and service, complimenting the management and security--the latter of which she smiled at. One mentioned how his son got hurt after his daughter pushed him into the ball pit, and another had given the place '3 out of 5 stars' for giving their daughter minor food poisoning. Besides that, there wasn't much regarding the incident in question.

Still, she persisted. Aware that her 'date interest' apparently had family living in her hometown, she wanted to know--NEEDED to know--why they had so suddenly ceased coming by Junior's. Her focus finally shot from the screen to the closest clock. It was almost 6:45 pm. In another fifteen minutes, William would be leaving work--and heading for their house.

Initially, he'd kindly turned down the offer Rune made him about coming by for dinner. That day, he'd said he was to be meeting someone, and he didn't wish to keep them waiting. To Faye, he seemed intensely hesitant. Nervous. Yet, Rune insisted, stating he needed to meet Faye's brother, her husband, and finally put to rest the seemingly-hostile nature he had against his sister dating. Again, William had tried to say 'no', but how could he, after Reese went to hug him, practically beaming up at him? Eventually cracking, he agreed on the following night.

That night had arrived, but since the previous night, Faye couldn't get the situation about his family off her mind. After a long day of taking Reese and her school friends to the park, Faye had returned to her brother's house, quick to plop herself in her room and open up her laptop. For hours now, she'd searched. Nothing turned up. It was growing rather infuriating. Another report about how a dead rat had been found in the women's restroom, which turned out to be a child's attempt at a prank. Another '4 out of 5 star' rating for the attention to the customers' needs and for the 'stellar' animatronics. One, a suggestion for a change to the menu, since it wasn't quite vegetarian-friendly. Another reported a sour smell by the children's playground zone...

Nothing that was deemed worthy of her attention, though.

Sighing, Faye pushed up her glasses to rub her eyes, then continued to read. Another forum praised the updated Toy animatronics, comparing them to the other models the previous restaurant had. Then...

'Does anybody know what happened to the white fox?'

She froze at the question. 'Hello,' she thought. 'Now, we're on to something.' Readjusting herself on her bed, she resumed scrolling through the comment section, eyes darting about for anything further on a 'white fox'.

'U mean Toy Foxy? I haven't seen it in forever.'

'I think they took it out. Heard someone had broken it, even tho it's supposed to be a pull-apart attraction.'

'Nah. I guess you guys never read the online article. From what I read, someone was playing with the fox, and somehow turned on its head. It malfunctioned, and from what I hear, it bit someone. A kid, I think.'

Mangle BIT a child?! But...HOW? Her managers had made the announcement that the fox's power core was to be removed; she wasn't supposed to work, anymore!

'OMG!! A KID got bitten?!'

'IDK if it's true. It's just something I heard. Can't even find the article, anymore. Wish I'd saved it.'

There were no further comments, but it was enough to help solidify Faye's suspicions. She hadn't been at work, the day of the accident. Nobody told her either, for fear the word may spread and result in the building's closure. It answered the question about why Mangle was kept in the back room, these days. Faye attempted to search for more information, but nothing more popped up in the results. She supposed now she'd have to piece this together. So...the boys show up just before Mangle bites someone, she hears about it the next time she comes to work, and...then she doesn't see the two, again. Did one of them get bitten? Were they playing with Mangle and accidentally activated her? Curious and slightly frustrated, she removed a hand from the keyboard to reach for her phone. Maybe her boss was still in the office...

"Auntie Faye?"

She jumped in place at the startle, peering up to the door. Reese stood there, garbed in a cute dress and tights, 'Emmy' in an arm. "Mister William's here," she said, reaching to rub her nose. Here? Faye glanced to the clock. Well, spazz. "O-okay, I'm coming," she replied, shutting the laptop and setting it aside. Looks like that call will have to wait...

Faye followed the young girl out of the room, self-consciously smoothing down her hair and straightening her outfit. The hall opened up into the living room, the dining room and kitchen just beside it. For the moment, Rune spoke with William in the dining room, the man seated at the table while she set to placing baked chicken and side dishes in its center. From what Faye could see, he chose to wear a white long-sleeved shirt under a dark-purple dress vest and dark dress pants. He could certainly clean himself up pretty well when he needed to. Again, the aunt caught herself staring. He had ways of getting her to do that. Standing on the border between the two rooms was Mitch, garbed a tad more nicely than he usually did--outside of work, anyway. Likely his wife's 'suggestion'. Reese hurried by him and entered the dining room, snapping the man's attention from their guest to turn and face his sibling. "How's it going?" Faye asked, voice low. "Well, the guy shows up on time, offers to shake hands at the door, greets my wife politely and waits to be invited in. Doesn't sit down until it's suggested to him. Obviously, he's playing the gentleman's card," Mitch began, silent to clear his throat.

"And? Your thoughts?"

"I hate it."

Faye couldn't help but grin.

"What's worse, I saw his ride. Makes me hate him, more."

She lifted a hand to her mouth to muffle her wheezing laughter.

"...It's nicer than my truck," he muttered under his breath, as though admitting it physically hurt him.

"Pff--you wanna drive it, don't you?" his sister picked.

"I'd more than likely parade around in it."

"I'm sure that car's worth far more than you make, bro."

"Heh, no kidding. But it's not us he's here to see. We both know that much."

"Right..."

Mitch stepped aside to let his sister pass, following after her. At the table, Reese sat opposite of William, in the midst of telling him about her 'best friend'. The man smiled and nodded, listening to the child speak. When Faye entered the picture, his gaze shifted and his smile widened. "And how are you this evening, my lady?" he greeted, she immediately returning a smile. "Fairly well. A bit tired from having spent the day at the park, keeping track of four kids," she said, taking a seat beside him. "Ah, yes. Young Reese here was just informing me of that," he responded, casting a playfully-accusing stare at the child in question. As usually expected, all she did was laugh. "I assume it wasn't such a task for you, considering you normally watch animatronics, most days," William added, attention returned to Faye.

"Spazz, at least the animatronics are contained. We're talking about an open playground. And I made the mistake of not packing enough energy drinks..." played the aunt. She then remembered they were not alone. "Oh! Spazz, sorry. Um, you've met my niece and sister-in-law. Uh, that's my brother, Mitch. Claims he met you at the door."

The purple-haired man confirmed it with a nod, "He did, he did. Rather politely, both he and his wife. Can't say I recall the last time I was invited in, so warmly."

Hearing that calmed Faye's pounding heart. When had she grown nervous? "Good. Good to hear. Er--not about you being unable to, uh..." Faye hesitated there, slipping a hand under her glasses to face-palm herself. "What am I even saying?" The man beside her laughed genuinely, setting an arm around her. "You should learn to relax, Faye. You get yourself so worked up."

"I know I do. It just...comes with the territory."

"Of never having dated, before? There's no need to feel ashamed. Just proceed at your pace."

"Thanks, but...I worry I won't be able to stack up against...anyone you used to date."

"Hey, now--don't compare yourself to any from the past, like that. You're a league, all your own. And anyway, I'm not here to discuss the past. Rather, presently." He raised a brow at her. "More accurately, about you. So, if we may...?"

The others took Faye's admitting smile as clearance to seat themselves.

***********************************************

Dinner that night had gone over, well. There weren't any outbursts or arguments, and Will had actually spoken to Mitch about cars. Because he worked with and on them for a job, Mitch had seen many sorts of vehicles. It almost stunned Faye how well he'd gotten along with Will. Ironic, since he had earlier stated how he 'hated' the guy. It may have also helped how William suggested bringing his car by for Mitch to check out. Granted, her brother wouldn't get to drive it, but he was still pleased with the concept of working on it. Faye fought back the urge to laugh after William had left. Just one dinner had her brother switching from hating another man to wanting to be best friends with him? Looked to her as if Will had really hit the nail on the head, that visit.

At least now, she had the OK to continue seeing him.

Her month away from work was nearing its midpoint. Another couple of weeks would see her leaving to head back to her hometown. A second date was already planned. Before that, Faye wanted to look a little further into the incident that took place at Junior's. Reese was kept at home this time, sick with a cold. No doubt caught from one of her friends from the other day at the park. She was in her room, asleep. Cold medicine had contributed to that. With her brother and sister-in-law at work, Faye was left alone to open up her laptop. Once again, she fired up her search on anything regarding Junior's.

Nothing turned up, like before.

Not immediately.

Faye found the forum about Mangle, deciding to pick up what she'd left off from there. Long periods of hunting and searching brought up a file linking an animatronic to a bite within the past year. Based on what she could read, the victim had been a young male. His brother had been the one to cry to the staff for help. The two had been playing with Toy Foxy, and the fox's head had somehow been triggered, jaws snapping shut around the boy's head. 911 had been called, and the boy was driven away. A woman was stated to have come pick up the remaining brother. After that, well...nothing more was reported. Finished with her reading, Faye had to guess the two in question WERE William's sons. The woman may have been his ex-wife. Since they were separated, she probably didn't want William to ever find out their whereabouts, and may have played a part in keeping the incident silent. All assumptions, since no names were mentioned. Sighing, Faye eventually had to hang it up. There wasn't anything else to latch on to. For now, that was her story, pieced together.

At some point, she'd have to bring this up with William. In the meantime, he was likely at work. Maybe he wouldn't mind if she visited? Maybe she could bring him lunch? Setting aside her computer, Faye quietly made her way upstairs to check in on Reese. Still fast asleep. She wrote a quick note, leaving it where the girl could find it, then prepped herself to head out.

She drove by a steakhouse, picking up a meal to go. It didn't take her long to arrive at Fazbear's. Unlike earlier visits, the parking lot was...rather empty. That may have been a good thing. When Faye entered, she once again met Janet, whom didn't even need to ask her business. With a knowing smile, she gestured the brunette into the dining area. Fredbear and SpringBonnie's performance had just ended, the pair interacting with kids once more before they were to retreat to the back room. Silently, Faye approached, stopping just far enough away to be spotted. The bear noticed her first, simply waving to her. The rabbit caught sight of her, minutes later.

"I'm sorry we have to keep meeting like this," she began with his approach. "But I only have so much time to see you."

He lightly shook his head with a chuckle, "It's no burden to me, don't worry. I'm rather fond of the attention, myself." His eyes dropped to the bag she had in hand. "What have you brought with you?"

Faye glanced down at her hands, momentarily having forgotten what she was holding. "Oh! Uh, it's for you. It's, um...it's your lunch. I guess, for whenever you go on break," she explained, handing it to him. Currently wearing a rabbit suit, William carefully maneuvered a large hand to accept the offered meal. "That's awfully kind of you. What did you get for me?" he spoke. "Your basic steak and potato, since you've said you occasionally grow tired of pizza. I, uh, can't stay long. Reese is sick at home, and her folks aren't there to look after her. Just me," the woman told him, briefly motioning behind herself to the doors. The rabbit's ears almost appeared to perk up. "Little Reese is sick? Poor thing. I hope she'll get better. Starting to grow on me, she is," his voice practically frowned. Faye let out a laugh-like breath, "She's just caught a cold. Nothing serious." SpringBonnie then motioned in his relief, "Happy to hear that. Tell her to get better for me. Ah, and my thanks for the meal. I was actually beginning to wonder what I should have, today. But...before you go, could I possibly trouble you to follow me to the safe room?"

The safe room?

"Why there?" Faye asked. "I mean, I'm not on the clock, so I've no excuse to go back there, anyway."

"Well, I can't exactly escape this suit on my own."

Oh.

"Hm, don't you have assigned helpers to get you out of there?"

"If I had the option, I'd choose you over them, any day~"

She felt her blush resurface, "...Spazz, alright. But we better make this quick. I don't want you to get in trouble."

"Sweetheart, I'm a manager, here. And it won't take very long, at all."

Nodding, she quietly tagged along behind him as he led her to the safe room. It was a staple for any Fazbear entertainment business, meant as a safe place for costumed actors to retreat for breaks or to take off their suits. For guards, it was also a safe place for them to seek shelter from, say, malfunctioning animatronic characters. Animatronics were programmed to avoid the safe rooms, altogether. In fact, for most of them, the safe room wasn't even included in their mental mapping system. Only the living employees were to know of these rooms.

A few minutes' walk brought the two to the hidden back room. Neither Fredbear nor Henry were there, likely hidden away in the small room, backstage. The gold rabbit entered first, presumably to set down the packaged meal she'd brought him. Faye followed after, eyes peering around the room. Other than a table and some benches, there wasn't much to this room. There were bits of unused costumes strewn about, but other than that...nothing. The rustling of a plastic bag broke the silence, then Faye spoke. "So, how exactly am I to--" She was interrupted by a playful growl, the golden bunny whipping around to grip her under the arms and lift her to pin her to the wall. A brief squeak fled her, just before she erupted in soft giggles. Held up at eye level, she felt his lower body press up against hers. Considering how intimate this felt, she was surprisingly comfortable, despite this happening with only one date under their belts.

"Oh, okay. So there WAS a reason you wanted me back here," she grinned, blush darkening.

"Well, yes: to help me out of the suit~"

"That's an understatement, and you know it." She reached behind the rabbit's head, fingers brushing the release mechanism along the back of the jaw. She'd seen Will press on this to open the head--which she proceeded to do to meet the human face, within. "After all, we're not doing 'it' unprotected and in a bunny suit. I draw the line there, jackrabbit~" She lightly tapped his nose.

His only reply came in the form of a darkened chuckle, before he reached to slam the door shut.

***************************************

The drive home granted plenty of time for Faye to review previous 'events'. Now, how did the company's slogan go? 'Where Fantasy and Fun Come to Life'? Her hands tightened on the steering wheel, a shy grin crossing her face. Oh, it had 'come to life', alright~

She lifted a hand to tug the collar of her shirt up to cover the hickey she had on one shoulder and the bite mark she had on the other. Only one personal date and a dinner with the family, and look where it had landed her. Well, with the inclusion of the various visits she'd paid Fazbear's, of course. Mitch would be furious to hear about this. She knew that. She also couldn't ignore the remnant tingle she felt in her lower body. Eh, what her brother didn't know...~

Her car pulled back up into the driveway. Neither Mitch or Rune were home, yet. Parking, Faye checked her phone. No calls or texts from Reese, either. She shut off the vehicle and climbed out, locking it on the way to the front door. She withdrew her key to unlock the house, then entered. Reese was found sprawled across the sofa, watching TV. 'Emmy' was grasped in her arms, the little girl still in her sleepwear. "Hiya, Auntie. You were gone a while," she greeted, the brunette shutting the door behind her. "Hm, yeah. Sorry I was gone, so long. William and I ended up chatting for...longer than I'd planned," Faye explained, exchanging her shoes for house slippers. It wasn't a total lie. After all, it wasn't as if she'd planned on the 'one on one' time in the safe room. Er, not that little Reese needed to know that. It wasn't Faye's place to give her the 'birds and bees' talk. "I told him you were sick, and he said to tell you to get better. He misses you," she went on to say, the dark-haired girl slowly grinning at the statement. "I miss SpringBon, too," she returned.

She shifted herself to one end of the couch as her aunt neared her. "Think you need another dosage? Or are you feeling better?" Faye asked, checking Reese for a fever. "Headache's gone and my nose isn't running, anymore. But--" Reese paused to cover a cough--or four. "...I'm still coughing, and still kinda can't breathe," she finished, snuggling 'Emmy'. "Guess that means you need another dose," her aunt concluded, she getting up to head into the kitchen. The girl groaned her disapproval. "Sorry, but it'll help you get better, faster. Then you can go see SpringBon, again." There was a sigh of defeat, as Reese knew her aunt was right. Even IF the syrup tasted awful. The brunette returned with a small cup of orange-colored liquid. The small girl grimaced, but accepted and swallowed the medicine, anyway. "Yuck!" She glanced over to find the juice box her aunt then offered, taking it gratefully to drown the nasty after-taste.

"We still have a few hours before your folks come home. Sooo...you want to get dressed and we'll go for some ice cream?" Faye offered, a sly look on her face.

Reese gasped, "Ice cream BEFORE dinner?"

"Don't tell your parents."

"I'll be right back!"

Despite her minor cold, Reese hurried up the stairs to change. She was back within minutes, pulling at the door in excitement. The pair were soon outside, Reese rushing to the car while Faye locked up the house. The sun was setting, most of their surroundings covered by shadow. With the car unlocked, both climbed in and buckled up. An oblivious Reese then verbally listed all of the flavors she didn't know to choose from, leading into a story about how she and a friend had once tried five flavors at once, ending up with brain-freeze. Faye somewhat tuned her out, backing up the vehicle. She glanced up through the driver's side window.

And froze.

From the shadows cast by the neighbor's house, peeking out above the fence bordering the two properties, were two white eyes. She couldn't make out its body, but she could see hints of a white, widely-grinning face. She blinked, and the eyes disappeared. Foot still on the brake and gaze still focused through the window, Faye lightly shook her head. The eyes did not return. Beside her, Reese had stopped talking. Curious, she looked from her aunt to outside the window. "Something wrong, Auntie?" Faye turned to her, then back through the window. "...Nah, nothing's wrong, bite-size. Auntie's just seeing things," she played off, letting the car back out of the driveway. Truth was, she had a feeling she wasn't simply 'seeing things'. Whatever she just saw, she felt uneasy about. Instead of focusing on it, she pushed it to the back of her mind, shifting the car to Drive and pulling away.

****************************************

Her brother never saw the marks. Thank goodness.

She was the last in the household to prep for bed. Finished brushing her teeth, Faye studied herself in the mirror. A light sunburn. She'd have to put ointment on that. Just to be safe. That was furthest from her mind, though. Instead, she lifted a hand to pull back the fabric of her sleep shirt. The hickey was starting to resemble a bruise than anything else. The bite mark, though...it was still prominent. So long as it wasn't looking so angry anymore, she could deal with it. A finger gently ran itself over the wound. Shocking how willing he was to deliberately BITE someone. It had stopped bleeding, earlier. But as she touched it, she couldn't help thinking back on what words were spoken before he did it. So...dark and enticing. Not something she could ever tell someone, that's for sure! Remembering his words had her grin reappear. Guilty pleasures her brother never needed to hear about~

Covering her 'trophies' once more, she turned off the bathroom light and retreated to her room. It was late, as always. Without turning on her room's light, Faye found her way to her bed--and then gave the darkened space a suspicious look. There were no glowing eyes from before. Honestly, why did she even expect to see them? Granted, their earlier sighting sent shivers up her spine. She attempted to forget them as she snuggled in for sleep.

...They unfortunately resurfaced in her dream.

She was in the pizzeria, back home. Back at Junior's. It was dark; all lights shut off. All she had on her was a flashlight, which she used. It revealed to her pictures drawn by children on the walls, sometimes the occasional character poster. A hallway. She was in a hallway. Walking. But to where? As if her body wasn't in her control, she walked into an unknown room. A man stood, nearby. Someone she recognized, thanks to the purple suit and hair of the same color. But...something was off. He didn't appear approachable as he was in reality. He looked...absolutely vile. Something coated the front of his suit, dripping from one hand. She felt herself narrow her eyes to squint. A knife. He held a knife. A BLOODY knife. There was something slumped down in front of him. She looked to find...was that a body?! No--a child! A child had collapsed in front of him. In staring long enough, she could make out something pooling around the child's form. It didn't take her long to link this chain. William had killed a child...!

Said man then turned to her, and she quickly had to avert her gaze. His eyes weren't normal. They were red, almost glowing. She felt she needed to leave. Run. And she did. To where, she didn't know. All that she did know was that she'd found a door, and tried to step through it. Her form froze, seemingly paralyzed, at the sudden appearance of a familiar white face, two brightly-glowing eyes boring into her. They didn't give off an aura of being friendly. The 'jumpscare' startled her enough to wake. Her body shot up in bed. Darkness greeted her. Thankfully, nothing else did. Faye felt herself cringe, shivering as if cold. What was THAT? What was ANY of that? She felt sick to her stomach. Sighing, she settled back under the covers, a hand rubbing at her eyes. A part of her didn't want to see those eyes, again. She ended up sleeping with her light on.

*****************************************

Her phone beeped with a new text message. Groggily, she opened her eyes, vision blurry due to not wearing her glasses. What time was it? A hand emerged from under the covers to grab the phone and lift it to her face. 9:30 am. Fazbear's wasn't open for another half hour. So...who was texting? She opened her messages.

'Purple Guy'. Her nickname for William. Tiredly smiling, she sat up to read his text.

PG: 'Good morning. (8'

Smiley emotes? Spazz...

'Morning. Literally just woke up.'

PG: 'Oh. Sorry. Did I wake you?'

'No big deal. I can nap, later. Anyway, what's up? Don't say "the ceiling".'

PG: 'Rats. Ripped that one right from my hands.'

'LOL'

PG: 'I'm not going into work, today; got some errands I need to take care of. Just wondered if you and Reese wouldn't mind coming by the restaurant, after closing?'

Faye reached to put on her glasses, brows furrowed. He wanted her and Reese to come by Fazbear's...after hours?

'Come by, tonight? Just the two of us? Why?'

PG: 'I've something I want to show you both.'

'Show us something...?'

PG: 'Well, more like 'I want you to meet someone'.'

'Then why not just bring them here? You know where I'm staying.'

PG: 'She's...I honestly can't say she's shy. You'll see what I mean, if you'll come by.'

'Sounds kinda strange that you'd ask for just the two of us to stop by.'

His texting had stopped. Not getting a reply, she typed again.

'Why not all of us?'

PG: 'I feel more comfortable just having the two of you meet her, first. If it goes well, you can invite the rest of your family.'

Who was 'her'? Something didn't seem right.

'...Is this 'she' someone I need to be worried about?'

PG: 'Not at all. She's not a date of mine. But she is rather close to me. Family, if you will. I'd like you both to meet her.'

'...Tonight, after closing?'

PG: 'That's right.'

She paused, nibbling at her lip. Why did he want to wait until the restaurant closed before having them meet? He just said he wasn't working, that day.

'I'm trying to sort out why you'd want to wait until tonight to introduce us. You're not working today, and Reese and I are available.'

PG: 'It's complicated. I wish I could inform you, better. For now, I have to go check in on her, see if she'll be up for travel, this evening. 8('

'...I don't think we can stay long, but I'll see what we can do.'

PG: 'See you soon, then. 8)'

Faye set her phone in her lap, sitting in puzzled silence. His request came off...rather odd. He wanted just her and Reese to meet this mystery person. Someone in his family, according to him. She didn't think he had family in town. Then again, she never asked, either. In any case, she'd needed to ask her brother for permission. Reese was only her niece, not her child. She couldn't just up and take her wherever without the parents knowing. Mentally sighing, Faye leaned herself to turn off the light on the nightstand, now that it was no longer needed. Getting out of bed, she moved to dig out some clothes and get dressed, then departed the room for the kitchen. No one else was up, yet. That meant no 'family breakfast'. Eh, cereal was fine with her. A bowl was soon poured, and she sat at the table to eat.

Only after she'd finished did her brother emerge.

"What are you doing up so early? You normally sleep in," he teased, proceeding to prep bagels. "Morning to you, too. And I'm up because Will decided to text me, this morning. Wanted me to ask you something," Faye responded as she set down her empty bowl. "Ask me something? Like what?" Mitch wondered.

"If you would be okay with letting me take Reese with me to meet him and a family member of his, tonight."

The man paused, passing her a confused look. "For you and Reese to go meet...his family...?"

"He wouldn't say much else. I asked why the rest of the family couldn't come, but he wouldn't tell me. Other than he was more comfortable with the two of us."

"...A part of me thinks this isn't a good idea."

"You've met him; you know what he's like."

"I know. I just...it's my kid and my sister we're talking about."

"We won't stay long. Fifteen minutes. Twenty, tops. Then we come right back."

"...Anything longer than thirty minutes, I call the police."

"Okay, okay. Fair enough. Thirty minutes, we come home. End of story."

"...Alright, she can go. But I need to know where you'll be going."

"Fazbear's, right after closing."

"Right. Where else would he meet you?" Mitch mumbled, biting a bagel while coffee was being prepped. His sister frowned, expression guilty. The pizzerias were what they had in common, so it was natural to want to meet there. Clearly, whoever it was he wanted them to meet was familiar with the business, as well. She had the sense that her brother was starting to dislike the place. He may have been tolerant of meeting William in person, but it seemed to her as if he was less so with the business, itself. His daughter had been by the place far more times in a near month than most kids got to in a week. There was also the thought he was getting tired of hearing about SpringBonnie. Again, his daughter's favorite, next to 'Emmy'.

Speaking of whom...was that who she kept seeing? Why would the puppet continuously haunt her, in reality or otherwise? Was she spending WAY too much time at Fazbear's?

...There was a possible 'yes'.

It didn't change the fact that Mitch had granted her permission. So, as 7 pm drew near, Faye gathered up a recovering Reese and drove off for the restaurant. 30 minutes. That was as long as he felt comfortable with them gone. Faye didn't count on being there any longer than that, anyway. Nothing to do at a restaurant that was closed. Reese was silent the whole drive, occupying her mouth with throat drops. Berry flavored, since "cherry made her gag". By their arrival, it had grown dark. Street lights had flickered on, an uneasy quiet settling around the building. Inside, most of the lights were off. The exterior sign, too. Through the window, Faye could see that the game systems were off, as well. The parking lot was empty.

...Save for an unusual moving truck parked in the back lot.

"Someone else here?" Reese asked, tongue shifting her throat drop in the hollow of one cheek. "I thought William would be. But I don't see his car," her aunt replied, narrowed eyes peering through lenses at their surroundings. A short flash of reflected light from the street lights off Reese's glasses let Faye know the little girl's focus was on her. "I don't think anyone's in, either," she commented, following Faye as the elder female neared the strange truck. It was rather large, cleverly parked where the light wouldn't shine on its logo. Thankfully, Faye was a night guard, back home. Therefore, she had a flashlight on hand. Flicking it on, she ran the beam over the side of its trailer.

"Afton Robotics," she read aloud.

"Afton?" The dark-haired girl tilted her head. "Who's 'Afton'?"

"...How much you wanna bet it's William's last name?" Faye muttered in question, continuing to look it over. Suspiciously, he'd never given Faye his last name. Strange...yet, he may have had his reasons.

"William Afton..." Reese tried out on her tongue, wondering if that sounded right. "If that's really his name, it sounds funny."

"Let's try not to think like that, yeah? Remember elementary school?" countered Faye, whom turned her light toward the restaurant. The child frowned. Oh, she remembered. Most of the boys back then had taken to taunting her dad, due to his last name.

"Hey, Mr. Wilson~ Hey, Mr. Wilson~" they'd chant. Reminded her too much of that one show which sported a neighbor of the same name. It had taken a miracle to get the teasing to stop. That, or enough people had grown scared of the video game-based neighbor they'd granted the same name. Maybe she needed to stop watching videos online...

"I'm sorry, Auntie. You're right," Reese submitted, again trailing after Faye as they approached the building. The door was more than likely locked. Instead of testing it, Faye withdrew her phone.

'We're standing outside. Saw a weird truck in the back lot. Where are you?'

Several long minutes passed. Her phone finally beeped.

PG: 'We're inside. Come on in. Door's open. (8'

Open? After hours? Curious, Faye reached for the handle, easily pulling the door open. "...Why are they INSIDE?" she had to ask. Reese didn't comment, stepping by to enter and hold the secondary door for her aunt. Incredibly-few lights were on, within. Enough to make out the occasional table, here and there. A chair or two. Unfamiliar with Fazbear's layout, Faye continued to shine her flashlight, checking the available rooms. William was nowhere to be seen. "Will?" she called out. "We're here. You wanted us to meet someone?" Silence. No movement. Was he even here? Was he somewhere else? Both physically jumped in their skin, startled, at the use of the intercom.

"Good evening, ladies. I'm thrilled you could stop by," the man in question spoke.

Okay...so the only place in the building providing the intercom was the main office. Wherever that was. Reese stuck close to her aunt as the adult led on. "Kinda early for a haunted house attraction, isn't it?" Faye faintly joked, persistent in her search for the man. "Haunted house?" William paused, a genuine laugh following when it clicked. "That was not my intention at all, sweetheart. I just didn't want outside eyes to see our guest of honor."

"I never did get her name."

"Soon enough. She's nearby. But first...Faye? Do you remember that question I'd asked you during our first date?"

Question? On the first date...?

"You've asked a good many, honey-bunny. Could you clarify?" she told him.

"Haha...I suppose that's fair. I believe it touched base with robots..."

"...Did I think robots could harbor souls?"

"Ah! That's the one."

"Er...yes. I gave you my reasoning behind it."

"An intriguing answer, it was. However, it wasn't simply a random question. There was purpose in it. I felt I needed to know your thoughts on the matter before you were introduced."

Introduced to...what? His company?

"I mean no ill intention or rudeness, Will, but we're kinda crunched for time," Faye spoke, having found the office locked. Not there. "Where do you want us to meet you guys?"

"...Alright. We'll skip the games. Do you remember where the safe room is?"

The brunette failed to respond, leading her niece down the halls to said room. A dim light illuminated the room, Faye switching off her flashlight as a result. Nearing the doorway, she peered in. What storage lockers and random bits of machinery there were, she couldn't see in the faint light. She could make out a table, though. Someone sitting on the other side of it. Judging by the silhouette, she figured this was William. "All by yourself?" Faye dared to ask, not seeing the company he kept mentioning. The figure turned his head. "No, no. She's here. Come on in. No necessity for hesitance," he instructed. The aunt felt herself shiver. Spazz, something wasn't right. Her free hand dropped to keep Reese standing behind her, she entering, first. Nothing happened. Faye allowed them both to approach the table. "Away at the restroom?" she guessed, noticing his guest wasn't sitting with him. He shook his head. "She's with us, in this room. But...before you meet her, I only ask one thing: try not to scream~"

At his last word, the door behind the pair slammed shut, Reese letting out a frightened cry while still attempting to stay behind her aunt. Startled, Faye turned--eyes widened in shock.

It...was HUGE.

A humanoid figure, standing easily at seven, perhaps eight feet tall, made its presence known at the door it had been hiding behind. A large hand was still pressed against the door itself, as if to prevent their escape. It was metallic in structure--a robot. Sporting the design of pigtails and a skirt or dress, Faye could almost read it as a little girl figure. Color scheme hinted at something clownish, playful. She looked up to meet brightly-glowing green eyes.

"If I may..." William said, standing from his seat. Looking at the robotic creature, he gestured to the aunt and niece. "These two are Faye and her niece, Reese. Precisely the pair I spoke of, previously." The metal being said nothing. Only watched. His gaze shot to Faye, repeating the gesture to the robotic giant. "I'd like to introduce Elizabeth. You may call her 'Baby'."


	6. Part 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING! Some mild language ahead, but I've censored it. Also, it's another long Part, so get comfortable. ^^;;

Elizabeth?

Elizabeth.

She'd heard that name, once. He had told her. It was...that was his daughter's name, wasn't it? Elizabeth had perished as a result of an accident, one that had split up his family. But...if she were dead, then...why was he calling this THING by his daughter's name? And 'Baby'...short for 'Circus Baby'. What had he said about her? The leading character for his group of animatronics? If 'Baby' was this thing's name, why was he addressing it as 'Elizabeth'?

.....

Maybe...

"Do you think robots could harbor souls?"

...Elizabeth's soul was trapped inside!

Despite the realization, Faye remained wordless, frightened eyes barely flickering over the animatronic blocking their way out. 'Baby' only maintained the stare. "Did no one tell you it's rude to stare?" she asked in an eerily calm tone, voice barely above a whisper. Faye blinked in a cringe. It was sentient and twice her size. Likely twice as strong, twice as quick. Considering she was without a weapon to defend herself and her niece, she decided against disobedience. Reese needed to come out of this, alive. It didn't matter to Faye what happened to her own self--just as long as Reese would be okay. For now, she would play along.

"I'm sorry," the aunt muttered back, averting her gaze. "An animatronic wasn't what I expected when we walked in here." Her breath hitched in her throat as Baby took a step closer, causing the aunt and niece to back away. "Sweetie, play nice," William instructed the robotic character, whom cast him a glance. He then turned back to his human company. "Come now, let's not be impolite. First impressions are the most important, after all." Faye also sent him a look, figuring it unwise to spit bitterly at him. Right. Play along. "I won't question how you got in here, seeing as most animatronics aren't able to enter a safe room. But...uh...it's a pleasure to finally meet you," Faye forced herself to speak. 'I suppose,' she then thought to herself.

Peering down, she gave little effort in gesturing to the smaller person behind her. "This is my niece, Reese. She's a fan of the Fazbear characters. She, uh, unfortunately didn't get to meet any of your series," she explained, Baby quietly observing them. Studying. Another quick movement of a hand urged Reese from refuge. "Hm...uh, h-hi, Baby," the little girl managed to squeak, forcing a smile to cover her fear. Brave kid. "Why not spend a little time with her? Get to know her while the adults chat?" the man in the room suggested, Reese shooting him a worried frown. "We even made sure to bring art supplies, if you'd like to draw with her? She used to love to color. Did you know that?" he continued, pointing out several blank sheets and colored pencils on their end of the table. Silently, Reese approached to take the supplies, nervous in nearing the large animatronic.

"If she hurts my niece in any way, we're throwing down..." Faye warned, mostly to William. "She won't. Just be calm, sweetheart. I'll keep an eye out. For now, mind a short sit and a talk?" he replied, nodding to the seat closest to her. Resisting a scowl, Faye forced herself to sit, finding the small distance between Reese and Baby too unsettling to attempt a quick snatch and run. While they were trying to seem friendly, she didn't sense their actions were. Anything hasty, and Baby might harm them both. Try to stay calm, hm? Perhaps she could occupy their time with questions?

Just long enough for her brother to realize something was wrong and call the authorities.

"...The incident you spoke of. It was between Baby and your daughter, wasn't it?" Faye started off, pulling suspicious eyes off the robot to look at him. It was enough of a question to prompt his change in expression. He sighed, leaning forward to rest his forearms on the table's surface. "Solved that one already, have you? Well, yes. Unfortunate, but yes. Circus Baby was...she was meant to represent Elizabeth on the company stage. A sort of gift, if you will. Modeled after a picture we had once taken of Elizabeth, all dressed up in costume for Halloween. It had become the inspiration behind Baby. It had taken a great effort, but her construction was completed according to schedule. I was thrilled, I...I had to show her. I'd called her down to see Circus Baby. At first, she loved her, wanted to see her dance. Sadly...there was a malfunction. I had to shut Baby down. Until the flaw could be repaired, I told my daughter to give the character her space."

"She didn't, did she?"

He slowly shook his head. "No. Based on the aftermath, both she and my youngest son had found their way downstairs during the night, just to see Baby. She...was built with a mechanism that serves in the production and offering of ice cream cones. It was that very mechanism that malfunctioned. Instead of offering a cone, the clamp caught hold of my daughter..."

The mental imagery that followed made Faye shiver. That had to be horrible to witness!

He sent his creation another glance before continuing, "My youngest son Cassidy ran for help in tears, but we were too late to save her. After her burial, I...succumbed to depression, hid myself away from my family. My wife attempted to help me at first, but when she decided I wasn't recovering as she felt I should, she threatened divorce. To take away our remaining children as a means to keep them safe from the horrible mechanical creatures I built. They left...and I was alone. I resorted to storing Circus Baby and the other Funtime animatronics in a storage facility below the house. Thought about giving up, just...ending it all. But then...while drowning myself in self-pity, I noticed something bizarre about Baby. Her eyes. They were different from before. She came to life. Called me 'Daddy', just as Elizabeth used to. And I realized...Elizabeth wasn't truly gone, at all! Her soul, her essence, remained. Trapped within Baby's form. She...she brought Baby to life. At first, I'd the crazy thought of contacting my wife, let her know our daughter wasn't gone. I had to reconsider, knowing my wife would never accept this as our child." He motioned to Baby, whom was occupied with patiently learning as Reese taught her how to draw. "She viewed my inventions as monsters. That's all they would ever be, in her eyes."

Faye listened, also viewing the two sitting on the floor. Okay...so now she could understand why he hadn't brought Baby by their house. Still, it didn't explain something. "Why target the two of us? There's nothing linking us to what happened with your family, so why are we involved?" the aunt asked, expression conflicted. "Experimenting, I suppose we can say," he stated in a partial shrug.

"Experimenting?"

"You two weren't the first. Before, I had to keep my daughter locked away, where she couldn't come into contact with people. It was safer, that way. And for a time, I served as her only company. She eventually longed for friends..."

"Which no one gave her, because...she's a sentient robot you kept hidden away."

"Yes. She became lonely, wanted to re-enter the world, play and laugh with friends from school. Just as she used to. But she could not, and we live in a society where it's unacceptable for a grown man to approach other parents' children. Elizabeth couldn't go make new friends, and I couldn't go make them for her. I'm not exactly proud of what I've done, but I couldn't stand to see my daughter unhappy, either."

"...Will, what did you do?" Faye felt her hands tighten in fists.

"Children liked my SpringBonnie. I was convinced I could use him to my advantage. In his 'skin', I could lure children from sight, never alert their parents. I wanted to give my daughter company. Ah, but it wasn't as if taking kids close to her age was legal. Nor could I manage countless other children under my roof. What happened before could potentially happen again. I decided to try testing a theory: if the soul of my daughter could be housed in a robotic form, perhaps other souls could be, as well. I already had a few unused animatronics on hand; all I needed were new souls."

His explanation made her sick to her stomach. She was reminded of the dream she'd had, previously. The image of him coated in blood, a child's form collapsed in front of him. It was trying to tell her something. It was a message. One she failed to understand in time.

"You're not experimenting with Reese," Faye stated with a glare. William appeared hurt, "My dear, you honestly believe I aim to harm my biggest fan? Here, I was convinced you thought better of me. I would never do such a thing. Not to her."

That was difficult to believe.

"Yeah? And what of me? I'm far too old to be a trapped girl's BFF," Faye spoke, tone displeased. He only smirked. "Well, my daughter can't be the only one to receive some company, can she? Dating is hard when you've got a metal giant for a child. Then came the day when you both paid the business a visit. How could I pass on the opportunity?" That only made her blood boil. "You only saw us as an 'opportunity', not as people?" she lowly growled. "Of course not, Faye. Don't take it out of context," he returned, almost sternly. Right: hold your tongue. Sitting back, Faye chose to shift gears in the conversation, "How does the puppet relate to you?"

"...I'm sorry? The puppet?"

"The Marionette at Junior's." She peered at his 'daughter'. "The markings on his face resemble those on Baby's. Particularly the red cheeks."

"...I'm afraid I haven't had much involvement with the Marionette. His design resulted from inspiration based on my own for the Funtime animatronics. More than likely, they had Henry work on it."

She did her best to keep bitterness out of her tone of voice, "I think he tried to tell me about you. Warn me. He...he appeared in a dream I had, in which you had slaughtered someone. It was as if...he wanted me to know what you did, what you planned to do."

"Not with either of you, if you were concerned," he corrected her. A mock smile crossed her face. "And what else did you have in store for us, then? Expect us to stay tucked away at home while you left for work? You can't get away with kidnapping. We both know that much. If you really wanted company for your 'child', there are other ways of going about it." She set an elbow on the table, resting her head in a palm. "Or were you the unpopular kid in school?"

It was almost surprising that he actually laughed at the question. "Rather quick with that tongue. I knew there was a reason I liked you~"

She ignored the blush on her face, refusing to respond to his words. For several minutes, only what noise the 'children' made broke the silence. The man sitting across from her sighed, relaxing in his seat. "Faye...?" he began, tone warming. She let herself meet his gaze. "I feel I must ask you this..."

"Ask me what...?"

"Do you love me?"

Now was her turn to drop her anger. Love him? Was she supposed to, after less than a month of seeing him? They hadn't been on a second date, and after what he'd admitted to her about his 'double life', she wasn't sure she could look forward to it. If she and Reese got out of this alive, anyway. She also didn't even know what such thing as 'love' was, besides what her family provided. As far as Faye believed, romantic love existed only in books and movies, never having experienced it in life. However...she felt differently about William than she ever had with most men. Unlike most, he could get her to laugh, open up to him. She couldn't deny she enjoyed what time they'd spent together. Before she'd learned the truth about him, she honestly thought him an ideal man. He adored kids, knew how to bond with them. He was kind and polite to her, and he seemed to be on a good page with her family.

But...did she love him? If he were gone now, would she miss him? Worry for him? Hate the idea of never seeing him again? Her silence was drawn out, yet he never motioned to speak up. Clearly, he wanted to hear her reply. She soon enough gave him one.

"Yes. Always."

His demeanor brightened in relief, mouth opening to speak. She held up an index finger to stop him. "That doesn't mean I'm not upset with you, currently," she told him. Having been leaning forward in his chair, the man once again sat back. "And you have every right to be. Please understand: I'm not trying to hurt you, Faye. Neither you or Reese," he muttered. Rather quick to change his mind, wasn't he? Likely resulting from some stage of madness. Before either could continue their conversation, a ringtone cut through the air. Dropping her gaze, Faye dug into a pocket to pull out her phone. A number flashed on the screen. Her brother's. Her thumb shifted back and forth, as if deciding whether or not to press the button.

"Let's not do something we might regret," William reminded her, offering a hand for the phone when she looked back at him. The device continued to ring, its owner peering again to the animatronic in the room. As if aware she was watching, Baby eerily met her stare. The urge to resist, rebel, died in her setting the device on the table. Faye bit back a groan, in one movement sliding the phone across the table to William. Catching it, he held it as if to answer it. "I knew you'd come around," he taunted, quiet as he pressed the button. "Good evening. I'm sorry, but Faye is unable to come to the phone, at this time."

His grin slowly grew at the growl in Mitch's voice.

********************************************

It had been well over thirty minutes. Still, Faye and Reese had not come back, nor had his sister bothered to call. Something was up. Rune had attempted to calm his nerves, wanting to believe nothing was wrong, that he was simply overreacting. That was Rune's personality: to remain positive about...just about everything. Nothing bad could happen to her family, she tended to think. Yet, even the determined red-head had her doubts about that evening. An exchange of glances were words, aplenty.

Where were they?

Enough was enough. Standing from the couch, Mitch gathered his phone to dial his sister's number. It rang several times...then someone picked up. It wasn't his sister's voice that spoke.

"Good evening. I'm sorry, but Faye is unable to come to the phone, at this time."

Immediately, his anger spiked. "Will...where are they? Where are Faye and Reese?"

"Oh, they're both here, unharmed. Faye and I are simply talking, and Reese is occupied with sketching. Having a pleasant time, we are."

"Then why not put one of them on the phone?" Mitch scowled.

"For the moment, it's not an option. Besides, what we're discussing is rather important. I can have her call you back, shortly...?"

Mitch wasn't liking what he heard, but tried to keep his tone low so as to not alert his wife. "They both had better be in one piece when I get there, or so help me--"

William interrupted with a chuckle, "You're not exactly in the position to make threats, are you? They're both just fine. But, if you prefer not to take my word for it, do feel free to stop by."

The call was abruptly ended, leaving the father figure in silence. In anger, he stuck his phone back in a pocket and hurried to grab his keys. "Hun? Love, is everythin' okay? Are the girls alright?" Rune questioned, startled with his sudden actions. "Rune, call the police. William's gone and done something at the restaurant that he shouldn't have," her husband only told her, making way for the door. "I'm going now to get our family back. Please stay here."

"Love...is our daughter okay?" were the worried mother's next words.

The dark-haired man only grinned bitterly back at her. "For HIS sake, dearest, they both better be." The front door opened and he stepped out, the door shutting with a rushed slam. While the red-haired woman did as ordered, Mitch dashed for his truck, throwing open the driver's door and reaching behind the seat for something.

A shotgun. An heirloom passed down to him from his and Faye's father. "Keep your sister safe," their father had told him, that day. That was exactly what he planned to do. The barrel loaded, the man packed away the rest of the bullets, then climbed into his truck. The only lights to illuminate his path were the occasional street light and his headlights. A part of him hoped there would be a unit patrolling the area as he sped down each road. He could afford a ticket, so long as authority believed his story.

*****************************************

William set the phone on the table face-down, then stood from his seat. "Well...I believe we've stayed far beyond overtime, don't you think? Shall we take this back to my place?"

Faye lifted her head, eyes back on him now that the call had ended. "Back to your place...?" she repeated, questioning. He didn't even have to answer, as she also stood up, chair protesting loudly across the floor. "You're not taking us anywhere." Something in his demeanor changed. Although making no threatening gesture, he took to coldly staring at her. "I know too well what a feisty one you are, Faye. Please...I'd rather not hurt you," he spoke, taking back command in that instant. She slightly bared clenched teeth at him, hating how much control he had in that moment. Sensing her submission, the man smiled. "It's time for us to go, Elizabeth. Pack it up."

The animatronic said nothing in getting back on her feet, reaching down to gather Reese in an arm. The child cried out in slight fear, putting Faye on edge, once again. "I best not find even a bruise on her!" the aunt threatened. Strong hands gripped her upper arms from behind. "Baby isn't going to hurt your niece, sweetheart. Remain calm, if you will. Just come along," William's voice instructed, Faye's focus not once leaving the robotic character as they were taken from the room. Soon enough, from the building, as well. Faye didn't have to ask where they were going. "Home", he'd say. Instead, she shamefully kept her head down, the heavy thumps of the robot following after the only sounds to break the silence. Reese didn't even resist. Likely scared out of her mind. That, or she didn't want to risk either of them harmed...or worse.

But what was to become of them? Did William plan to keep them locked away in his house? Was he lying about not experimenting with Reese? What had happened to all of those children he HAD experimented with?

The group arrived at the moving truck parked outside. As William moved to withdraw his keys and approach the back of the truck, Baby reached with her free hand to snag Faye. "Just going to throw us in the back, are you?" Faye nearly spat, words bitter. "Hm...it's not that I don't trust you, sweetheart. Don't get me wrong," the purple-haired man replied as he unlocked the door. "I just don't desire the possibility of anyone seeing you," he smiled so casually, pulling up on the door to slide it open. He hadn't the chance to remove his hands from the door, when something dark and thin shot out at him from inside! Reese screamed as the man stumbled backwards, struggling to separate himself from whatever was attacking him. Task changed so suddenly, Baby dropped her child captive, lifeless eyes narrowed as she hurried to aid her creator. Free, Faye rushed to her niece's side. "I'm so sorry, Reese. Are you okay?" she said, emotion backing up her apology. "I'm fine, Auntie. But we need to go!" the little girl exclaimed, getting to her feet in time for Faye to pick her up in her arms. The elder female silently agreed, deciding in that instant to run back toward the restaurant. Only when they were at the doors did she stop to look back.

Whatever had launched itself at William was now busy clawing at Baby. Most of its body was dark, making it difficult to identify under the cover of night. Its face, however...

White, with two eyes that were currently glowing red.

"Emmy!" Reese called out, quick to place the creature's identity. Faye looked again, and this time could make out the white stripes on its thin limbs. This was, in fact, the Marionette! They were jolted from their realization by a firm grip on Faye's shoulder. William. "Get inside," he growled, gaze still on the sight before them. He didn't give them the opportunity to refuse, pushing them through the doors. He followed in after, shutting and locking the doors. His hands remained pressed against the doors afterward, his body still while he attempted to recover. Cutting through his panting were the consistent plops of blood dropping from his face. When he finally straightened to turn to them, Faye spotted the gashes on his left cheek. Some part of her felt pity for him. "Got you good, didn't he?" she spoke instead, body turning as a means of shielding the little girl in her arms. William wiped at his face to clear away the blood, breath calming. "A minor set-back. Baby can handle it," he dismissed.

"Him," Faye corrected. Their eyes met. "He's your son. He's Cassidy," she clarified, aware there was truth to her claim. The puppet had been lifeless up until the day of the incident with Mangle. The Toys weren't as bent on stalking the night guard as they were after the puppet was given life. They were only acting on their programming: to search and confront potential predators of children, and to follow the business rule of not having exposed endoskeletons where customers could see them, on top of always being where the festivities were. After the puppet gave them new purpose, they'd begun actively hunting whatever figure of authority was on site, after hours. The question now was...why? What was the Marionette's goal?

What was Cassidy's goal?

A soft breath of a laugh fled William. "Bold claim. How can you be sure?"

Despite how much she loved this man, Faye was persistent in keeping space between them. "Because I've seen both boys at Junior's, before. Because there was an incident after which I no longer saw either of them. Because the Marionette wasn't sentient--alive--until after a child was bitten. That's why Mangle was pulled from the floor. That's why the Toy animatronics were suddenly so keen on targeting night guards, and why they didn't target me as they did my male coworkers." She set Reese down, immediately putting herself between her and William. "Answer me these two questions: what did you do with your 'failed experiments', and did your son know?"

"Know of what?"

"Of Elizabeth, now stuck in your animatronic."

His expression shifted, confused. As if he were pondering this to himself. "...He must have. He...the day my wife took them away, he told me. Cassidy told me she...Elizabeth...wasn't really gone. I disregarded what he said. I didn't believe him, when I should have."

"...And what of the kids you 'tested'?"

The man in purple rested back against the locked doors, grin rather unfriendly. "You mean, when nothing happened with the Funtime characters. They're here. They were always here. Heh...obviously, I could not have several corpses lined up in the front yard, awaiting trash collection. No. I needed to be rid of the bodies as soon as I had the chance. The shifts as night guard were perfect. No other eyes present to witness the deed. I shoved the bodies into the animatronics. They each had the perfect design to hide a small corpse. And until they began to rot, they'd gone unnoticed."

"Except for when they needed to be repaired," Faye pointed out.

"Oh, not even then. Did I not mention before that I also function as the 'handyman' for Fazbear's? I took care of the characters' repairs, leaving everyone else blissfully unaware of the bodies' presence."

How lovely...

So he'd essentially turned the characters into robotic coffins? Light-blue eyes shot to the human-like animals on stage. The question lingered in mind. Were they still inside?

"They're gone now, of course. When I was instructed to investigate the smell, I removed the bodies. Dumped them with the rest of the restaurant's garbage. At least in that manner, I would not take the blame, should anyone have discovered the remains~"

"You're a sick man, William."

He only chuckled back, "And yet, you love me all the same."

His attempt to approach the two was interrupted by the loud shattering of glass. A window had broken. Rather, had been broken by a slim figure. The Marionette stood feet away from them, posture rather beastly. Red eyes were glued to William, ripped cables grasped in one of his clawed hands. Baby wasn't going to save William, now. "Emmy," Reese said again, peeking out from behind her aunt. The puppet's red glare shot to the child. Now wasn't the time for a pleasant reunion. His eyes returned to his target, fingers dropping the cables. In some last effort to save himself, William was quick to take hold of Faye, pinning her against his chest. She initially tried to fight back, but stopped. That sharp chill against her throat told her all she needed to know. "If you would, please..." he muttered in her ear. Giving in, she hesitantly held up her hands, just to signal to him she wasn't going to pull any fast ones. When the two backed away for the halls, the puppet advanced.

Only to be stopped by a frightened Reese. "No! Emmy, that's my auntie!" she cried, gripping his wrist. Red eyes finally turned white, dropping to the child at his side. 'Auntie'? Right; they were family. Clearly, she didn't want anything to happen to her aunt. Understandable. But with her aunt held captive, he wasn't going to be able to take out his target without there being a casualty. He looked again to see the man in purple--his father--duck behind a corner with the young woman in tow. No one else would die to that man. He'd be sure of it. Yet, he'd need a little help...

Red eyes once more shifted to the animatronics resting on stage. What an idea~ The puppet lifted a hand toward them, tilting his head. Seconds later, each of the characters' heads lifted one by one, each one's eyes dark. Freddy was first, ears twitching as he observed his surroundings, then peered down at his feet. Almost effortlessly, he ripped himself free from his floor restraints, proceeding to make his way off the stage. Bonnie was next to follow, the rabbit tearing his guitar free from himself and dropping it as he also freed himself. Chica was the last of the three to step down and approach the one responsible for their awakening. Reese hid herself behind the puppet, shivering as she looked to see a dark-eyed Foxy emerge from Pirate Cove. "Emmy...? They're friendly...aren't they?" she asked, worriedly glancing up at him. White eyes met her gaze, and he reached to pat her head in assurance. Once all four animatronics had joined them, Marionette turned to Chica. Their conversation was wordless, but ended with the chicken nearing Reese. The child gasped, but did not space herself when the yellow bird lowered herself onto a knee. She meant her no harm, extending a hand to stroke the child's head. "H-hi, Chica," Reese managed to say, beginning to think the chicken was actually on their side. With Chica watching the girl, Marionette turned to the remaining three. After exchanging glances with the fox, bunny, and bear, the puppet lifted a hand toward the hall he'd last seen William take Faye. The three characters also turned to look, and--with silent commands--proceeded down the corridors. Fazbear's had a few halls and a number of rooms in which the man could hide his hostage.

As Freddy, Bonnie, and Foxy searched the halls, Marionette took it upon himself to search via the ventilation system. It reached into every room, after all...

"Be careful, Emmy," called Reese, following Chica's lead to the prize corner.

********************************************

Of course the back doors were locked. Of course he'd dropped his keys during the scuffle with the puppet. Of course his only form of protection had to be disabled and collapsed, outside. Of course his only captive had to be one with a fighting spirit. Rebellious.

And of course he had to be one with enough heart to actually release her. In truth, he really didn't want to hurt Faye. As she admitted to being in love with him, he had to admit to himself that...he loved her, too. Not only did they work in the same field, but neither held a shred of fear for the animatronics. Only respect. And she'd come to admire the robots he'd created. For once, there was someone close to his heart that didn't view his creations as beasts. Someone whom wouldn't view BABY as a beast. And she had a niece! What more could he have asked for? It should have been flawless. It should have been perfect!

But of course, the puppet had to throw a wrench into those plans. Now they were trapped in the restaurant. What were they to do? William struggled to formulate a Plan B, leaning against the doors he discovered to be locked. The front doors weren't an option. Not with the puppet in the building. For all he knew, it was guarding the front end. Waiting.

"What now?" asked Faye, standing a few steps away, arms crossed over her chest.

"Don't even start. Just...just give me a moment," the man told her, dragging a hand over his face. Where was he supposed to take her, now? They should have been en route to his house, by now. They should have been showing them around the house, the lower floors where Baby was kept. He should have been begging Faye to stay with him, convincing her he'd take care of them all. He was supposed to be appeasing her niece, make her happy enough to want to stay. If she had, then Faye would have, too. They could have been a family. Holding in a growl, he turned to her, knife still in hand. "Only those who work under Fazbear Entertainment are aware of the safe rooms. We'll hide there until all searches are called off."

"Hide? Really? That's the best you can come up with?" the woman almost laughed.

"Well, my only other option is to end you and sneak myself out, considering I've told you the truth about the missing children. About my daughter's fate."

The brunette didn't falter at his approach, seemingly tolerating the hand he gently placed on one side of her face. "Fortunately for you, I've become far too invested in you, emotionally," he stated, personally glad she hadn't brushed him off. Her eyes lowered. "If that's true, why are you still holding that?" she countered. His grip tightened on the knife. 'To keep you from running,' he thought. He'd never say that. "Just don't give me reason to use it," he almost pleaded, gently pushing her back up the hallway. Both froze mid-way through their walk, a faint sound growing louder. Footsteps. Moments later, the source revealed itself in the form of a red fox. Foxy. His eye patch lifted as both eyes lit up upon spotting them. Screeching, he ran forward, aiming for the man at Faye's side. Thinking fast, William shoved Faye to one wall, dodging toward the opposite wall in time to avoid the animatronic. Foxy tumbled upon landing, giving the two precious time to stand and run for it. They bolted for the safe room, unfortunately encountering Bonnie and Freddy along the way. With three animatronics tailing them, even Faye couldn't oppose following William to the safe room. Neither ceased their running until the purple-haired man had slammed the door shut behind them. He tapped a hidden panel beside the door to engage the program that prevented the characters from breaking in.

"The Band's alive, too?!" Faye frowned, standing on the other side of the table they'd previously been sitting at. She didn't get a response. From William's understanding, the souls of the children he'd stuffed within each of the characters had been awakened. They were using their new forms now to hunt him down. But...in a strange twist, it confirmed everything he suspected. A grin crossed his face, but he didn't let Faye see. He'd been going about it all wrong! Baby would be pleased to hear it!

...Well, once she was repaired, that is.

"We're safe, now. They can't reach us in here," he said, finally deciding to put his knife in place at his belt. She had nowhere to run to, anyway. "Maybe not, but we don't have anywhere else to go, either. And who knows for how long we'll be stuck in here?" Faye fussed, unhappy with the situation. At least they weren't dead, yet. "Grant me some time, sweetheart. I'll think of something," William stated, stepping away from the door.

"Don't think for a second I'm not still mad with you. There were other ways this could have gone, peacefully."

"Faye, please...! I understand; I f***ed up, okay?! I'm...I'm sorry." Sighing, he moved to lean on the table. "My only concern now is to get you out of this, alive. Whatever happens to me, I probably deserve. I just...I don't want to see you hurt."

That almost sounded honest. Maybe he was trying to be? After all, he'd gone all this time without injuring her or Reese. Now that the child was out of the picture, likely in the puppet's care, he didn't have any leverage to keep Faye in his grasp. What kept her from shoving him aside and bolting out that door? The animatronics outside it weren't after HER.

Hm. It could be that she didn't want to see him hurt either, since it wasn't this side of him she'd fallen in love with. Switch gears here, Faye. "Will...I know you're not going to like what I say, but...it might be your best option. For both of us," she began, yet still remained on her side of the table. "I don't doubt my brother's on his way. Likely called the police. And I know they'd arrest you for kidnapping. But up to now, I'm the only person who knows you've killed children. I don't talk, your punishment won't be as severe. We could possibly still be together; you'd just have to get professional help. You get better, you'll prove to my family you're not a threat, anymore. They'll decide from there whether or not to accept you. If they can find it in themselves to open up to you again, we can continue from where we left off. Try again under different circumstances. Wouldn't you want that? I sure would," she tried to negotiate, tone hopeful. He didn't appear convinced, discouraged by the fact his plans had been foiled. But...she was WILLING to give them another go. She still...wanted to be with him? Why? "Haven't I dealt you enough damage, Faye? Why do you insist on a second chance?" he asked in turn.

"Because I wasn't lying about what I said, before," she confirmed.

"About...?"

"When you asked me if I loved you. I said yes. Always. And I meant that. I only insist that you get the help you need. We can always start anew. Plead 'guilty', and I'll do everything I can to lessen your sentence. It's going to get worse from here, but it can always get better."

Words he never heard from his former wife. Words he wished he HAD heard from his former wife. Instead, she'd cursed him, turned him away, took their children from him. Faye was right, though. It would get worse, but if she were willing to help, it could get better. "I choose to do this, you won't talk?" he wondered, wanting the air to be clear between them. "You get help and take responsibility for your actions here, I won't say anything," Faye agreed, managing a small smile. That...didn't sound so bad, coming from her. Maybe he could--

A loud bang startled them both, and Faye whipped around to face the wall behind her. Marionette stood there, the grate blown off the vent it had been covering. After acknowledging that Faye was safe, he turned his focus to William, white eyes turning red. Before the woman could speak in William's defense, the puppet launched himself over her, latching himself onto the man near the door. Another struggle commenced, fabric ripping as the slim figure clawed at his prey. William went for his knife, but only succeeded in tossing it to the floor. Faye, meanwhile, could only distance herself from the fight, withdrawing when their conflict knocked the table over. At the same time, Faye heard the angered animatronics at the door, trying their hardest to bust down the barrier between them and their target. The longer the tussle between William and Marionette was carried out, the more desperate the animatronics grew--until the door finally gave way. Not a one entered, however. They couldn't, thanks to their programming. There was now an escape route Faye could take. She didn't. She looked in time to see the puppet be thrown against the wall, William standing injured and bleeding. The room was a wreck, what little furniture there was strewn around the floor. One of the unused game systems in the back had been knocked over, now broken. On Faye's right, the puppet slowly stood, then met the animatronics' gazes. There was the sense they were begging permission to come forward. With a small gesture of a thin arm, Marionette granted them this. Before Faye's eyes, spheres of light drew forth from the robots that housed them. They were reformed, shaping themselves into the spirits of children.

Three of the countless children William had murdered.

Able to enter the room, they hovered inside, completely ignoring the stunned woman stashing herself in a corner. The brunette couldn't believe what she was seeing. Did she think souls could be harbored inside robots? She did, now! As they passed by her, Faye straightened and pushed herself from the wall. The man opposite her, on the other hand, started to panic. At one time, the souls weren't able to track him down in this part of the building. Until the puppet arrived, they were trapped within their animatronic shells. He'd thought he'd been safe. Now what was he to do? In his unstable state of mind, he turned around and hurried toward something in the darkness of the room. She couldn't make it out at first, but it didn't take long--thanks to the long ears the head had. "Will, don't!" she cried, just as he set hands on the golden rabbit he'd hidden in the room. He hesitated, a part of him wanting to do as she pleaded. However, with the puppet and the souls advancing, he made up his mind. SpringBonnie was quickly donned. Despite his fear, William attempted to get into character. "Hey there, kids! You remember Ol' Bonnie, don't you? Gosh, it's been so long, hasn't it?"

Their advance stopped. As if they were actually trying to remember the rabbit before them. William was almost convinced this would work. Faye unfortunately felt her heart plummet. All sounds stopped, the air silent. Her light-blue eyes shifted from the rabbit to Marionette, his back to her. She couldn't read his expression, nor guess what he was thinking. She slowly drew in a breath, instead. Praying not to hear it. Not to see it. Tension grew heavy. She faintly shook her head. 'Please don't...' The puppet lowered his arms, seeming to cease his threat. His head lowered an inch. A clawed, three-fingered hand lifted. A pause. One finger was bent. She heard it: the telltale CLICK.

CLICK. CLICK. CLICK.

The puppet's hand closed, and instant screams of pain split the air. The rabbit bent forward, arms wrapped around his abdomen. Faye knew exactly what just happened. "NO!" she shouted, nearing three steps closer before SpringBonnie collapsed on his knees. Her own legs felt paralyzed, as she could do nothing more but press her hands to her mouth and watch in horror as the suit's mechanisms forcefully released themselves from restraint. Metal was driven throughout the human body within the suit, no doubt puncturing organs and snapping bones like twigs. The screaming soon enough silenced, the blood seeping from his throat enough proof to Faye that his vocal cords were sliced. Crimson leaked from every opening in the suit and pooled below him. The rabbit finally came to rest against the wall, quivering as the last bits of life fled his body. Already, Faye's heart felt crushed...but it was practically destroyed when SpringBonnie's head lifted enough for the human eyes within to look at her. Hot tears streaked down her face. Her hands ripped themselves from her mouth and she stepped forward, teeth partly bared in emotion and a hand extended toward him. Long fingers settled themselves on her shoulder, though, stopping her. Marionette stood at her side. He refused to allow her closer. This was the 'Purple Guy's' punishment, not hers. He was gentle in pushing her back to the doorway--his way of telling her to go. The woman never dared to rip her gaze from William's. Only when he slumped in place, lifeless, did she let out a gasp of a sob, her body stepping backwards through the broken doorway.

She ran. And not once did she look back.

*******************************************

"I wasn't lying about what I said, before. When you asked me if I loved you, I said yes. Always. And I meant that."

He never said it back. It was all the brunette could think as she stumbled back into the main dining room. Flashing red and blue lights flooded the space through the windows. Nearby, Reese was crying in her father's arms. Chica was nowhere to be seen. Fingers pressing against her skull, Faye fought to recollect herself. Hard to do when you felt as though a part of you had just died. Still, she walked on until her family recognized her. Mitch left his shotgun on the floor, freeing his hands to carefully grip his sister's shoulders. "Faye, are you alright? Are you hurt?" he asked, her response being a slight shake of her head. "Hey," he spoke, gently shaking her when emotion tried to break her all over again. "Where's William?" her brother pushed again. She looked up at him, expression pained and teeth somewhat bared. Tears still ran down her face. Instead of speaking, she turned watery eyes over her shoulder, back the way she'd come. Taking the hint, he left her long enough to find the safe room--and what rested, within. The puppet was gone. The spirits, too. All that remained was a golden bunny, stained with red. The sight sickened him to his stomach. Upon returning, he found his sister leaning against one of the dining tables, trying to hold herself together, while Reese stood in front of her, attempting to get her aunt to speak. Rather than insist his daughter stop, Mitch neared his sibling and took her in a hug. "...I'm sorry, squirt," was all he said, not knowing exactly what happened in the twenty minutes it took him to arrive. A body was a body, though, and it didn't take him long to understand what blood leaking from an animatronic meant. He hadn't trusted William, but he also couldn't stand seeing his sister like this, either. In that moment, he felt his sister's hands grasp at him, her head pressed against his chest. Her body shook as she drew in another breath.

She screamed.

An hour later would see the family outside of the building. Police swarmed the interior, having found the body in the hidden room. While they quarantined the restaurant, they questioned the Wilsons in the parking lot. Mitch informed them of what he knew and had heard, but ultimately admitted his sister had seen and heard far worse than he had. She was in no mood to talk, though. Considering the circumstances, police weren't convinced they had anything to do with the events surrounding Fazbear's. They weren't charged with anything, since it had been a manager whom invited them in after hours. While Mitch handled speaking with the officers, Faye sat in an open ambulance. Previously, she'd been examined by a paramedic, just to clear she hadn't sustained any serious injuries. Now left alone, she stared numbly out the open doors. Did all of this really happen? Was she only having a bad dream? She prayed it was the latter. She wanted to wake up, now. Her eyes drifted, catching sight of a certain dark-haired girl by the decorative bushes at the edge of the parking lot. Reese was speaking to someone. Faye couldn't make out a body, but a brief glimpse of a white face told her what she needed to know. Finished chatting, Reese moved to give the Marionette a hug, then turned to run toward Faye. The child had been looked at first, confirming that she'd sustained nothing more than a bruise on her stomach from where Baby had picked her up. "I was saying goodbye to Emmy," she said, as if needing to explain herself. Faye nodded, forcing a tiny smile. Right then, she had mixed feelings about that puppet. She knew why he'd done what he did, but on the same token, hated that he'd done it. She looked up to find him, but he'd already disappeared.

"...Are you gonna be okay, Auntie?"

Faye returned her attention to the child, "I'll be fine, bite-size. Auntie just...needs time..." Her voice was cracking, throat raw from her screaming, earlier. She was going to need a LOT of time. They were both soon joined by Mitch, whom offered to help Faye out of the ambulance. "We're clear and free to leave. Let's go home," he gently said, leading the two back to his truck and Faye's car. Their drive home was quiet. Reese didn't even ask her father anything until they parked in the driveway. Her worried mother instantly ran out to meet them, giving both Faye and Reese a hug. Rune attempted asking for details, but Mitch kindly refused. It wasn't a good time to talk. Instead, the family entered the house to clean themselves up and get to bed. It had been a long evening, and most just wanted to put this behind them. Faye could not. It lingered, even up to her last day of her vacation. Despite slapping on a bright smile and assuring the family she would be okay, she couldn't maintain this mask when her car pulled up to the red light, and she happened to look out her window. Freddy's logo would never be the same to her, again. Until the light turned green, she had to keep her head turned away, emotion bubbling in her chest. She would not cry. Not here.

The next eight hours would be the longest of her life.

**************************************************

3 years had passed.

Summer breaks came and went, as did the holidays. Phone calls once a month brightened Faye's weeks, helping in her recovery. Getting a new phone had been bittersweet, considering William had taken her old one. It was worth it, though, as she often received 'Face Time' calls from Reese, wanting to know how things were going. Hard to believe the kid was already thirteen years old. She also didn't seem as affected by what happened at Fazbear's, which was good. The child didn't need that weight on her shoulders. She'd long since stopped asking about 'Mr. William' and SpringBonnie. Last time Reese had brought them up, it had taken everything Faye had in her not to hang up the phone. All she said was a painful, "They're not coming back, Reese." Speaking such words cracked at the aunt's heart. Wounds that should have healed had begun bleeding, all over again. Her niece quickly learned not to bring up the subject again--no matter how much she missed the golden rabbit.

With time, those wounds healed, becoming emotional scars. With time, Faye returned to her old self, able to hold a genuine smile at work. With time, her manager promoted her with better pay, putting her in charge of training future night guards. There were no phone recordings with her. She chose to instruct the new arrivals, one on one. The Toy animatronics ceased their attacks. Only Faye knew why--and she refused to tell anyone who asked. For a short period, it seemed as though everything was returning to normal. Faye even reminded her manager of potentially transferring to be closer to her family. Sadly, an immediate transfer wasn't going to happen, as Fazbear's was still closed to the public. Had been for the last three years. Neither Mitch or Rune had taken it upon themselves to tell her any more about the restaurant, wanting her to get over her loss. With time, Faye had come to accept the facts. Henry had closed the business after William's death, and the building had been left dormant, since. And through it all, Faye had not once spoken about William's child victims. No one needed to know. Besides, it wasn't as if talking about it would bring back the dead.

She just learned to accept and move on.

The Autumn months were setting in. Months away from Faye's 29th birthday--which she planned to spend with her family, that year. She'd also wanted to be nearby for Reese's graduation, to see her start dating and be present for her brother's protective ranting fits. Really, she just wanted to be around something positive, to keep her mind off the negative. She'd kept up her requests to transfer, assured by her boss that he'd inform her if there was an opening. Until then, she was to train the new guards. With her boosted pay, she did not complain.

One afternoon, in finishing up training with another new applicant, Faye was summoned to the manager's office. Garbed in Junior's security wear, she entered said room to find the white-haired man in a suit sitting at his desk. "You called?" she asked, closing the door behind herself. "I did, indeed. Please, sit. I've, uh, news regarding your transfer," her boss, Mr. Stein, greeted her, urging her in with a gesture of a hand. "My transfer? Really? There's an opening?" she asked in turn, seating herself. "Well, not quite. But there will be. You see, we were contacted by a young entrepreneur, stating he would like to open a sort of...er...horror attraction for the Halloween season. He also said he wished to be granted permission to use the Fazbear name," he began to explain, setting down a file. "He wants permission? Shouldn't he be asking Mr. Henry about that?" Faye inquired, an eye narrowed. "Henry's retired from performing, but we do still keep in contact with him for company decisions. Junior's is the next closest to the location he wishes to open this horror attraction, so it only makes sense for him to contact us, directly," her boss continued. Faye nodded her confirmation. "If you say yes to his project...?" she wondered.

"We were considering future plans of seeing to the construction of something small. Perhaps a cafe or sweets shop. Just something to recover the hit to business our name sustained after the incident at Fazbear's. Of course, we need the funds to do so."

"So, you're going to grant this permission, then?"

"We don't have much of a choice. It's an opportunity for both you and the company. You've wanted to transfer anyway, did you not?"

"...Same general location as Fazbear's was?"

"Hm...if not a few streets away."

"...Alright. What's the plan?" she asked, interested.

"For the Halloween season, I believe stretching from late September to the first week of November, you'll be sent to begin as their night guard. While the attraction is open, you'll operate its hours as scheduled. Once the season is over, we will permit a week's break to confirm operation hours for the new location. Then, you'll proceed to work there. While you're at this attraction, we will begin work on the next new location."

Hm. Something small to get Fazbear's back on its feet, huh? And while they worked on that, she'd be night-guarding this 'horror attraction'. Sounds fair enough. That would give her time with the family, and she wouldn't be far from work. Plus, after the season had passed, she would have a guaranteed position at the new location. She really couldn't pass that up. "That actually sounds pretty good. Uh, do we know what the name of this attraction will be, or has it not yet been decided?" she spoke on.

"With permission? He wishes to call it 'Fazbear's Fright'."

********************************************

She had a week to pack. That weekend, they'd be sending her to this 'Fazbear's Fright', and she'd start anew as an experienced night guard. Her new pay rate would be carried over, since she'd be the only guard in the evenings leading up to the business's opening day. Not exactly pleasing news to know she'd be on her own, but the steady pay and the opportunity to be closer to family were enough of a perk. She was tired of being alone, outside of work.

That night was uneventful. Now that the Toys weren't attacking anyone, night-guarding was reduced to a simple job. Marionette barely came to life after hours, these days. Faye had started to wonder if Cassidy had finally moved on. Then again, she'd never bothered to talk to him. Not since his last appearance in her office. She tried not to think back on it, too much. It had been a few years ago, but still. Reese considered him her BFF, and she'd seen him come to life, that one night. A part of Faye would be disappointed if his soul had already departed. She could only imagine what that would be like for Reese. Poor girl had already lost her favorite animatronic; she couldn't handle losing her best friend, too.

In her boredom, Faye peeked at the camera feed. All of the animatronics were where they should be. Toy Bonnie, Toy Freddy, and Toy Chica were all in Sleep Mode, on stage. Mangle was still in Parts and Services, waiting for repairs. Balloon Boy was still at his post--although knocked over on his side. Nobody liked BB. The puppet's box...still closed. Sad. She was sort of hoping he'd be poking his head out to stare at the camera. Faye glanced at the vents. Of course nobody would be there; there was no strife. No further grief or need for revenge. No revenge, certainly. Grief? Well, none on the puppet's part. Plenty, in Faye's case. Every now and again, her thoughts would drift back to the night she'd lost him. Not a place in her mind that she wanted to go, but now that her job was so...plain, she'd all the time in the world to dwell on past events.

At least, until she was disturbed by a familiar jingling.

She looked up from the monitor on her desk. Marionette stood in the doorway, posture reminding her of a guilty child. For a moment, she didn't speak, not knowing what to say. The last time he'd shown himself in the office was the night after his father's death. When the animatronics stopped coming, Faye couldn't handle being left alone with her thoughts. In an emotional break-down, she'd tossed the fan that had sat on her desk for the longest time, smashing it to pieces on the far wall. The sobbing that followed was enough to lure the puppet from his box and to her office. She'd jumped in her seat, startled. It was all she could do to pull herself back together. The tears, though, were enough of a hint that she just couldn't take it, anymore. He'd silently approached, stepping around the desk to stop at her side. With a tilt of his head, he'd silently asked what troubled her. His 'question' had gone unanswered for several long minutes. But when the woman translated what he was 'asking', she'd made a heart-shape from her fingers against her chest, separating them to signal at her 'broken heart'. He understood, and proved so by embracing her, that night. She hadn't even cared that he was a possessed puppet; she'd cried in his embrace until 6 am.

Here he was again, about to 'ask' another 'question'.

"...Wondering if I'm still upset with you?" she prompted, setting aside her duty behind the monitor. He shook his head, white eyes flickering away from and back to her. "Heh...I already told you: I'm not mad at you for what happened. I know why you did it. I hated it, and still do, but I know why it had to be done." He waved a dismissive hand at her self-explanation. "Oh? Alright. Well, come in, then. Currently have nothing else to busy me," she lightly joked. The puppet jingled faintly, once again approaching to stand at her side. "So...nothing's wrong. I think I'm okay. For now. Er...um, I have something I need to ask YOU."

He tilted his head, using a hand to urge her to continue.

"Okay, here's the deal: my boss called me to his office a few days back, and he told me there was going to be an opening for me to transfer. I'm supposed to be going to this 'Fazbear's Fright', the week before it opens. That's why they're having me train new guards before I go. Anyway, it's going to have me move back to the Wilsons' hometown, so I accepted. I'll be with family again, and won't have to travel far for work." She smirked at the sense of worry the Marionette gave her. "Now, now, before you get all worked up. Look, I've already thought this over, and...figured it wouldn't be right of me to go and not bring you with me. Reese would like her best friend back, on top of that. So...I was thinking...maybe you'd like to come with me when I leave? I mean, obviously, I can't just walk you out the doors, but--"

She laughed in nearly being knocked out of her chair with the puppet's sudden tackle-hug.

"Okay, okay! Heheh--I'll take that as a yes. We'll have to be prepared by this weekend. So! Here's what we're going to do..."


	7. Part 7

The trunk shut with a mild bang, the person responsible for closing it stepping back around to the driver's seat with a tired sigh. That was the last of it all. Everything she needed to take with her was packed away in the trunk. The apartment key had already been returned. Every bit of furniture had sold; nothing she'd need to take with her. Still, she thought enough of the place to turn and give the second-floor residence another look. It had been her home for the last few years. A part of her despised saying goodbye to it, but it was for a good reason. She had family waiting for her.

Now that the apartment was empty and she'd a good sum of cash in her wallet, she felt comfortable making this last trip. A new job, her family and a room waiting. Better hours and better pay, too. Just about everything she needed going for her. Nodding slightly to herself, Faye finally climbed into her little blue car. The engine kicked to life, the driver lowering the volume on her radio and adjusting her rear-view mirror. This would hopefully be the last 8-hour drive she'd have to make. At least, for a while. "All ready to go?" she asked, eyes peering through her glasses to the mirror.

In it, a bright-eyed, widely-grinning face popped up in the back seat. Even through his one expression, Faye could tell he was excited. "Get comfortable then, M. It's going to be a long 8 hours," she forewarned, shifting the car to Drive. Bell-like jingles were happily returned, the slender figure balling up in the backseat with his arms around his legs--pulled up close to his body. 'Like a child on his way to Disneyland,' Faye thought to herself. There were exceptions. For one, she wouldn't have to worry about him fussing about being hungry or needing bathroom breaks. As far as she knew, he couldn't speak, which meant he wouldn't be asking repeatedly if 'they were there, yet'.

However, there was a chance he'd get bored, and she hadn't a moment to consider an activity book.

Thankfully, the view through the windows were enough entertainment to occupy him for the first hour. His silent observations allowed Faye time to her own thoughts. Their plan was executed without a hitch. Marionette had to stay a day after Faye's departure, just to make clear she wasn't responsible for his disappearance. Technically, she wasn't, but it wasn't as though the company knew the puppet was alive, either. So long as it wasn't obvious on the camera feed, she'd stay off their radar. The night after she left, Marionette snuck himself out. The brief 'assistance' of the Toy animatronics provided enough cover for the puppet to slip from his box and scurry out of the building through the ventilation system. Under the cover of night and shadow, he found his way to Faye's apartment. She'd been expecting him. Her apartment empty, they'd resorted to spending the night in sleeping bags. Well, SHE slept. She didn't really know if Marionette slept or not. Was he even able? Was that what he did when the box was closed?

...You know? It didn't matter, now. No need for boxes, anymore.

Naturally, Faye was called the morning after in regards to their missing puppet. Again, she played along flawlessly, able to convince her former boss that she'd no involvement with their prize corner mascot's 'vanishing act'. A quick review of the camera feed backed up her claim. The same went for that night's guard, whom stated the puppet was there for most of his shift. They didn't pester the aunt, again. It was likely they were either filing it with insurance or simply requesting a replacement model. Something had to go in the box, after all.

An hour into the drive, Faye noticed movement on her right side. She glanced to find the puppet peering between the front seats, a hand curling below one's headrest. "Got bored, back there? You can move up here, if you want," she spoke, head barely turning as she was keeping her focus on the road. Marionette proceeded to move himself rather carefully, not wanting to interrupt the woman's concentration. "Belt," she reminded him, a hand lifting from the steering wheel long enough to tug on her own straps. White dots flickered over her being before the puppet turned to look for his seatbelt. Grasping it felt familiar to him, somehow. He'd never been in a car, before. Not in his current form, anyway. His body froze at the memory: him in the front passenger seat, a man's voice chuckling in tease beside him. He'd felt happy, as though something wonderful was going to happen.

"M? You okay?"

Pulled from the memory, he quickly gave her a reassuring look before clicking his belt in place.

"...Well, would you mind finding us something to listen to? I kinda can't do that while I'm driving."

Oh...he certainly could do that. Long, thin fingers reached for the dial, pausing with each channel to listen for either a song or static.

"Your mom and dad ever let you pick music?" Faye asked, passing along the occasional glance. Another small jingle and a nod were his response. Sadly, as though remembering an old pastime. "Think you can find your favorite kind of music?" The dial continued turning, genres cycling by until it stopped on a song with an acoustic guitar and a man's deep voice. A smile tugged at Faye's lips. "Okay, but one sad song, and we're changing stations. No way am I driving with busted waterworks."

*****************************************

The sun was setting by the time the blue car came to a stop by the sidewalk. Their destination in question was illuminated with lights from within, signaling everyone was home from either work or school. The horn honked a couple times under Faye's hand, she turning off the car in prep to get out when she saw the house's front door open. Her brother was there, approaching to greet her in embrace. "Staying for good, this time?" he asked as they parted. "Staying for good, this time," she confirmed, reaching within the car to press the button to her trunk. "I got my things. Could you grab the puppet for me?" Mitch looked from her to the inside of her car. Bright white dots stared back at him through the windows. He remembered Faye telling him about Marionette. When she'd felt strong enough to talk, she'd confessed her knowledge of the puppet being alive, sentient, and harboring the soul of one of William's sons. She'd told him about the animatronics at Freddy Fazbear's coming to life, possessed by the souls of William's victims. At first, Mitch hadn't believed a word. Human spirits possessing robots? Unheard of! His sister insisted, though, claiming the puppet and the animatronic characters had a hand in the "Purple Guy's" fate.

Neither he nor Rune found Faye's words true...until she'd offered to video chat during one of her last shifts as Junior's night guard. Weren't they shocked! The puppet truly WAS alive! "I told you," were their daughter Reese's words, whom immediately wanted control of the phone to talk to Marionette. The puppet had gone out of his way to keep Reese and Faye safe, so Mitch and his wife chose not to contact Junior's owner or the head of Fazbear Entertainment. Despite this, neither parent was expecting Faye to bring the slender doll-like creature with her. Hesitantly agreeing, the man walked around the car to the passenger side, opening the door to lift Marionette into an arm. The puppet wasn't that much larger than his daughter, so it didn't hinder him while shutting the door back and moving to stand by his sister. "Still have a free hand. You need any help?" he offered.

"I got it, bro. But thanks," Faye replied, slamming shut her trunk and bending down to grab her bags. With the car locked, the group made way for the house. Rune opened the door, allowing them inside. The moment Faye set foot through the doorway, small arms were wrapped around her midsection. "Auntie! You're back!" beamed Reese. She'd grown a few inches since her aunt's last visit. Already, she'd taken to wearing sweaters. Autumn was nearing fast. "Whoa, there! Nearly knocked me over, bite-size," Faye grinned, barely setting her bags down in time to hug the child. "You missed my birthday, again," the girl was quick to remind her. "I know, I know I did. Couldn't get off work in time. But I hope this makes up for it," the brunette stated, standing aside for the child to see Marionette.

"Emmy!"

At the name, the puppet rose in Mitch's hold, shifting himself to happily greet his best friend. Mitch gently set the puppet down, the slim figure rushing to tackle-hug the young girl. "You brought Emmy home!" Reese laughed, not once breaking the hug as she looked up at her aunt. "I keep telling you: you have an awesome aunt~" Faye teased as Rune closed the door after them and soon enough joined them. "You bet I do! C'mon, Emmy. I'll show you where you're staying," Reese said, getting to her feet and taking the puppet's hand, hurrying upstairs to her room. The adults remained in the living room, Mitch taking his sister's bags to her room, Rune and Faye moving to the dining room for dinner. Plates had been filled, Faye's left untouched while the family had only just started eating theirs. Mitch returned in time to join them. "I'm surprised you didn't get into trouble in takin' Junior's property," Rune began, brushing back her braided hair from her shoulder. "Oh, they called to ask. Didn't catch me, though," Faye addressed as she picked at a steak. "I was originally planning to keep M's presence a secret, let time pass, and maybe people would forget about the puppet. For now, exposure outside's going to be limited to the backyard only."

"What about Reese's friends? I'm sure they'll be over on the rare occasion," Mitch put in as they ate.

"If Reese thinks they're trustworthy...then maybe. I'll leave that decision to her. She's old enough to decide on her own, right? Thirteen, now?"

The red-head nodded, "Already. And midway through this year. Won't be too much longer, and she'll be turnin' fourteen. Makes ya wonder where the time goes."

The brunette looked toward the stairs. "Sure does. It's been three years since THAT night. Has she needed therapy after...?"

Her brother shook his head, "Surprisingly, no. All she'd talk about was how Chica treated her at the prize corner, and how 'Emmy' had gone to great lengths to protect her. She told us she knew he'd protect you, too." Chica...that's right. The animatronics had also played a card in foiling William's plan. What had become of them? Of the pizzeria? "I hadn't really gotten the whole story on Fazbear's. What was the final verdict?" Faye asked. "They closed the building, squirt. Thought you knew that," Mitch stated, brows raised. "I know that much, but...I meant the animatronics. And...William," his sibling corrected herself.

"Hm...I don't know WHERE exactly they were taken, but...they hauled off the animatronics after the owner chose to close the building. It's still there. Apparently, they're not sure what to do with the place, yet."

"...You hear anything more about William or a golden bunny suit?"

"They wouldn't disclose that information. Well, beyond labeling it an 'accidental death'. What they did with his remains and the suit, we still don't know."

Well, that was discouraging. Disappointing. A part of her wanted to know what had become of the man she'd come to love. Ah...there was that word. 'Love'. Something she'd never heard him say back to her. It still sat heavily on her heart. "So, when are you to start this new job?" Mitch spoke up, wanting to change the subject. He always hated to see his sister frown. She didn't deserve to be unhappy. "Oh. Uh, this coming Monday. I'm going in on Sunday to sort of...y'know, finalize everything. Get myself situated," Faye explained, speech hesitant.

"Ah, okay. Er...what are they calling it, again? It's a horror attraction, right?"

"Yep. The owner settled on 'Fazbear's Fright'. With permission from the company, of course."

"And you're doing...what?"

"Night guard, same as I did at Junior's. Midnight to six in the morning. The guy's paranoid people are going to break in, find something to steal. Or just find the place the perfect spot to hide away and make out. Because, as we all know, scary places are THE ideal places to bang one another," Faye sighed with some sarcasm.

"Whatever gets the heart racing," Mitch joked along. "Speakin' o' which, have any other hot numbers come your way since..." Rune initially asked, letting the rest of that question die. She quickly regretted even bothering to bring that up, knowing how sensitive her sister-in-law was about the subject. The sadness in Faye's expression were explanation, enough. "I'm sorry, lass. I didn't think before I spoke," she apologized, a hand on the brunette's back. "...That's going to take time, Rune. I'm not expecting to meet another guy, so quickly. It's just...scary...falling for a guy in a month, and...then witnessing him being taken away," Faye informed them, refusing to lift her gaze from her nearly-empty plate. "In that short time, I felt more for William than I ever had with guys I spoke to in the past. Guys I've sort of known over the years. I can't explain it, either. There was just...something about him." There was a pause, and she finally met their stares. "I'm still sorry for putting you guys through so much. For putting Reese in harm's way. If I had known..."

Her brother gently took her hand.

"It's been three years, squirt. And it wasn't your fault. You trusted him. And for the record, he was a fairly decent man. Kinda find it a shame he turned out the way he did. I sort of liked him." Mitch jokingly shrugged. "Heck, I practically approved of him dating my sister."

There was that smile he'd hoped to see, again. Even if shy.

"Anyway..." Mitch sighed, resting back in his seat. "Do you know where this attraction's at?"

"I do. My boss--er, former boss--gave me directions before I left. Just a few roads away from Fazbear's, if I read them correctly. Going to be my job for the next month and a half, then I'm going to work at this new 'sweets shop' they plan to build. Something different until they regain the funds to open up a new restaurant. From there, I can decide whether or not to stay at the shop, or go to the restaurant. Either way, my pay rate stays the same," Faye said, pushing her glasses back in place. "Perhaps by then, most people will have forgotten about M, and he could join the family on outings. Maybe even family vacations, or something."

"Aye. And maybe even give datin' another go?" suggested her sister-in-law.

Faye almost cringed. "In...in time, Rune. Looking out for myself, right now."

"That's right. Give her time, hun. She'll see to it when she's ready," the elder sibling agreed. When he noticed the youngest of the family still hadn't returned, he looked to the stairs.

"Reese! Come finish your dinner! You can show Emmy your Fazbear collection, later!"

**************************************

It was early. Too early. She should be asleep, right now. Still.

But first impressions were important, and she wanted to make a good one. Besides, this was the only time of day her new boss said he'd be in. On a Sunday, that is. Since she was to officially start the next day, going in ahead of time would work in her favor. Knowing the building's layout was a good starting point. Still, seven in the morning was far too early for her to be up and driving. That was a perk to working the night shift: getting to sleep in. Her car pulled into the small parking lot and stopped just outside a large rectangle-shaped building. On the roof, positioned above the entrance, was a giant billboard-like sign. On it was a creepy image of Freddy, along with the attraction's name: Fazbear's Fright. Not very intimidating during the day...

Only one other car was parked nearby. A little dark-green two-seater. Her boss's, she had to guess. Resisting a frown, the brunette climbed out of her car and secured it before heading inside. She'd made sure to wear her uniform, just so her new boss got the idea. She wasn't a newbie, and wasn't to be treated as such. Standing at the front doors, she came to find them unlocked, one propped open. "Hello?" She stepped inside. A short hallway opened up into a room with ticket booths. The walls and floor were designed after those in the pizzeria: black and white checkerboard. The ceiling and sections of the upper walls were haphazardly painted black, most of it left to drip and dry wherever it so pleased. Faye walked into the admission room. Cheap barricades sectioned off two lanes--no doubt where lines would grow, once this place opened. For now, though, nobody sat behind the glass. "Hello?" Faye called again, eyes still taking in the building. There were old bits and pieces of previous locations scattered about. A poster or two on the walls, a ruined cut-out of Freddy between the booths and the path into the attraction.

It wasn't scary, but it certainly felt...empty.

"Is there anyone in this fine establishment?" Faye tried again, growing frustrated. Was this guy taking a snooze, somewhere? She startled at the sound of rushing footsteps. Through the doorway leading into the attraction appeared a young man, curly brown hair messy and clothing a little ragged. Kind of looked like his suit had been crumpled in his closet for a while, and he'd only recently dug it out. He was tall, but didn't appear that much older than Faye, if they weren't exactly the same age. In a way, he reminded Faye of some delivery boy whom finally received a promotion to a management position. "Sorry, sorry. This place is a bit of a maze, dude. Got kinda..." The man paused, eyes flitting over her form. "Oh, hey. You're the guard they sent? Heh. Heck, dude, they never told me you'd be a chick. And a cute one, too."

The aunt slightly frowned, expression displaying her distaste in his comment. "My pardons, but I really don't appreciate the use of your words. Shall we try that again? WITHOUT flirting?"

The man slapped his forehead with a palm, "Aw, dude! I'm sorry. Hey--I meant no disrespect, really. Totally feel bad, now."

Hm. Definitely some recent-age delivery boy made a manager.

"Oh, hey--name's Roy. My buds call me 'Rex'," he introduced himself, offering a hand. "Rex?" repeated Faye, hesitant in returning the greeting. "Er, yeah. Y'know, the dinosaur? T-Rex?" He pointed to a small pin in the shape of said dinosaur's head on the collar of his shirt. "My buds call it my spirit animal, or something. Cool, right?" If he said so. He's the boss, now. "Sure," Faye responded, not sounding impressed. "Ah! Right. You're starting tomorrow, yeah? Aw, yeah! It's gonna be awesome! Look, it's not open, quite yet. We're still in the testing phase--y'know, to see if everything checks out--and we'll be opening up, next week. For THIS week, however, you'll be getting settled in. Er, I'll show you around the place, just so you know all the rooms and stuff. Sound good?" Rex continued, pointing a thumb over his shoulder to the path from which he'd emerged. "That's why I'm here," she agreed, following after him. "Okay, so! The room we were just in is the admission room. Y'know, where the people will be paying for admission and stuff. Somebody's gonna be directing the groups down this hall. We'll have a TV or something hooked up right here, probably have an instructional video or something playing to inform the guests as they enter. They'll proceed down here..."

Faye quickly tuned him out, busy looking at the decor. Most of it was familiar to her: paperpals, kids' drawings, the occasional torn poster. Only a few lights here and there illuminated these halls. Flickering already, as if trying to make her uneasy. It wasn't working. Only when she began noticing spare animatronic parts did she tense up. "Where did you find these?" she suddenly asked, interrupting his explanation. "Find wha--oh. Those? Well, some of them came from the first location. Some were donated by your folks at Junior's. Got their permission, after all," Rex told her, turning to join in on staring at the pieces of what were once Bonnie and Foxy. "Wait--the FIRST location? Fredbear's?" the woman clarified in shock. "That's the one. Heh. You'd be amazed by how much of this stuff my guys and I found, laying around. We wanted this place to feel authentic, and figured--why not?" He motioned again for her to follow. "Since we're not yet open, the guys and I will be busy looking for more stuff to salvage. The building will be getting more additions, probably to expand the halls--just so the experience isn't so short for the guests. That also means we gotta find some more stuff. If we're lucky, we might even find an intact animatronic! Heh. Wouldn't that be something?" He stopped in a hall with one glass wall. Further observation told Faye it wasn't a wall, but a long window. Beyond it was the standard guard's post: a desk and some technical equipment. Tablets, from what she could see. "And this is gonna be your office! We, uh, tried to give ya something more than just a computer. Too basic, you know? You'll be working in here over the next few days. Might become your permanent spot, if nothing else is worked out," he said, letting her walk around to enter the room. More drawings and other crafts on the walls, some dim lighting. On her immediate left, she noticed a box of parts. Animatronic parts.

Wait...were those the TOYS?! There was no way; the Toys were still functioning when she left! She said nothing, letting her expression speak for her while she pointed at the box.

"Oh, those. They were from prototype models. Y'know, models they weren't going to use as the final product. Whatever bits were left, they gave to us. Heh. Why? Did that freak you out, dude?"

She hated how he smirked at her. "That's an understatement. I worked at Junior's for a long time, so I'm sort of fond of the Toy models. And I'm not ashamed of it."

He held up his palms, "Again, didn't mean anything by it. You, uh, take your job rather seriously, don't ya?"

"It paid for my apartment, food, and clothes. So, yes."

"Gotcha, gotcha. Um, so...the door next to your office is the emergency exit. Uh, you'll be entering and leaving through there. Easier than having to walk through this maze, all the time. Er--here. I took the liberty of having another key made," he spoke, withdrawing a key from a pocket and turning it over to her. "It used to be considered the back door, but since we're having add-ons built, it's going to be your way in and out. Uh, no construction in the evenings, so nothing you'll have to worry about." He glanced at his watch. "Shoot! Mike's gonna be here in a little bit. Uh, do you need me to show you around some more, or do you have questions, or...?"

The woman shook her head, a hand gesturing a polite pass. "I got it from here, thanks. You go on ahead. I'll catch you before I leave."

"Alright, awesome! I'll, uh, be up front with Mike. If you need me, just yell."

"Hold up. Who's Mike?"

"Hm? Oh. He's the electrician I've got coming in. 'Mike Schmidt' is his name. Says he has some experience with Fazbear Entertainment. You heard of him?"

"Can't say I have. Never worked with a Mike."

"Ah, okay. Well, he's coming from a similar background as you. Worked under the company name for a short time. Right now, I just need him to sort out the lighting. I'm not so good at changing bulbs, y'know? Anyway, have fun. I'm up front, if you need me."

He left back through the hall leading the way they'd come. Alone, Faye adjusted her glasses and gave the office another look. Entering, she first noted the wooden door swinging into the small room. Surprising, since most of the office spaces were equipped with metal doors. This door also had a manual lock, which meant she'd not have to worry about supplying power to said door. To the left of the doorway was a time clock. An OUTDATED time clock. Where had he found that thing? Did it even still work? Oh. Right. No punch card, yet. Suppose that would have to wait. She took her seat at the desk, peering around the space. The tablets weren't turned on, so no testing them. There wasn't much else in this room, other than boxes of scrap pieces. Oh...there was a rather large air vent beside the desk. Spazz...why were the vents so large, here? The ones at Junior's were large too, but not so much that it looked like a grown man could crawl through. The Toys had often crawled through the vents to her office, sure, but they also weren't as tall as a grown man. Rather, they were small, compared to their Fazbear counterparts. Hm...perhaps the ventilation system would be mentioned at some point? She hoped, anyway. There wasn't an explanation behind their unusual size.

With the room examined, Faye figured it best to meet back up with her boss. She expected this "Mike" to be with him. Departing the office, she walked back the way she'd come, gradually hearing male voices in chat. She entered the admission room, where she found Rex speaking with a shorter man. His dark-brown hair was cut short, exhaustion present in his facial features. Dark bags under blue eyes struck her as familiar. Had she seen this man, before? "Hey, and here she is, now. Come here a sec, lemme introduce ya," Rex called her over, setting an arm around her shoulders when she stepped close. "Mike, this is Faye. Y'know, the new guard they were sending me. And this is Mike, a buddy of mine." With his intro, Mike offered his free hand, his occupied hand holding a closed tool box. He was garbed in a yellow hazard suit, hands covered by gloves. "It's a pleasure," Faye smiled politely, returning the gesture. "Likewise," Mike replied, managing a smirk.

"So...Rex tells me you've been with the company a while."

"Heh...it's sort of my dad's fault. He got me into it. Guess it runs in the family."

"Your dad?" Faye wondered, honestly intrigued.

"Yeah. Had my siblings hooked, at least for a short time. I'd decided to learn a little bit from our father. Here I am after graduation, and here I've been for a couple years."

"Huh. That's pretty cool. It took me a few years to step up to the night guard position. They apparently weren't sure having a woman do it was such a good idea."

"Heh, why not? You women are by far the bravest of our species."

She grinned at that.

"So...where do you want me?" Mike then asked Rex. "I hate to sound rude, but I also have another appointment, next week. Need to get on this as soon as possible."

"Yeah, sure. Uh, just start in the back-half of the building. Check the fuse boxes and such. I, uh, kinda don't know how well the wires were installed..."

"On it. Be careful walking back there, though. Don't know how long this will take me."

On that note, Mike left the two and vanished through the doorway. Something bothered Faye, though. She wasn't sure where, but she felt as though she'd seen Mike, before. It would take some brain-wracking to pin-point how exactly he appeared so...familiar. "Just about forgot," Rex spoke up, interrupting her train of thought. "Since you're here, would you be against some final paperwork? I kinda need to record your account for direct deposit, things like that." Right. She was technically at work. She sheepishly grinned, "Oh, sorry. Um, sure. You...you wouldn't happen to have an extra pen, would you?"

*******************************************

The first night dropped, quickly. As usual, Faye made it a habit to show up early, able to meet with Mike before he called it an evening. He admitted to staying over a few extra hours, just to try to get as much done as he could. Again, he reminded her he'd be leaving to another location in the coming weeks, so it was crucial he got this task done, quickly. What Faye found strange, though, was that when she asked further about his family, Mike simply attempted to avoid answering. Deciding against prying into his private life, she left the subject be. It wasn't like she was aiming to get on his bad side. They eventually parted ways, Mike leaving for his vehicle, and Faye heading inside Fazbear's Fright to begin her shift.

The place was far darker at night, what with there still being so few lights in those halls. Still, the brunette was able to make her way to the back office--only just passing through the doorway when the phone on the desk began to ring. Setting down her bag, Faye tapped a button to put the call on Speaker. "Hey, boss. Just got in. Hope you don't mind me being a few minutes early," she greeted, proceeding to take off her jacket.

"Hey, hey! Glad you could make it in for your first night. Heh--I guess I should say 'another night', since it's...technically not your first," Rex spoke back over the phone.

"I actually lost track of how many nights I've spent in this business. Other than a few years' worth, I mean."

"Heh, well, I'm glad they chose to send me a 'veteran'. I wouldn't know what to do with a total noob. Heh. Uh...anyway, I guess I should help you get settled in on your first night, here. Uh, to begin with...did you clock in, dude?"

Clock in? With furrowed brows, she turned to the time clock by the door. 'Nooo...' she thought to herself, wearing an unamused look as she approached it. Finding her punch card, she set it in its slot and pressed the button. A loud DING followed.

"Ah, there ya go. Heh, at least you showed up early, huh? Okay, so...as I said before, we're not open just yet, so you've lots of time to get situated. Uh, normally I'd be there with you, but my guys and I are out on a lead. Y'know, looking for more 'relics' to add to the attraction. Hey, uh, Mike said he'd stayed after by a few hours. Did you happen to see him?"

"I caught him on the way in," she answered, draping her jacket over the back of her chair and taking her seat. "We somehow got on the topic of Freddy Fazbear's. Well, back before it closed, I mean."

"Aw, yeah! That place was SICK, wasn't it? You ever go?"

"A few times with my niece. Got to meet the owners, face to face."

"Seriously?! Man, you're lucky! Bet you found it a shame when it closed, huh?"

"...In a way. I can't say my last 'visit' was all 'happy-fun times'."

"What? Why not? What happened?"

Spazz, why did she have to reopen that 'door'? Could she even handle it, this time? Talking about it used to haunt her...but...that had been years ago. She was strong enough. "My niece and I were held hostage, there," was all Faye said. Unfortunately, that was enough of a hint for Rex.

"Wait...DUDE! You're THAT Faye? Shoot, man! I had NO idea! Hey, so tell me: are the rumors true? Y'know, that the animatronics could come to life, or something like that?"

"Boss, can we focus, please?"

"Did they move around the restaurant after closing?"

"Sir, please...!" She drew in a calming breath. "...It's really not something I want to talk about. There was a death...and I'd witnessed it. Can we...can we just get back on task, here?"

"...Oh. Uh, shoot--sorry. Geez, I must be acting like a really bad boss, right now."

"Never happened, if you'll just..."

"Sure, sure. Er, where were we...? Oh, yeah! So, when the attraction's open, guests will make their way by your office, which I guess makes you part of the attraction. Heh, wanna guess your role?"

"A ghost in an open doorway."

"Heheh, nah. A security guard!" He snickered, "Bet you saw that coming."

"A mile away." She glanced at her tablets. "You want to tell me how these tablets work?"

"Oh, yeah! Just tap 'em to turn them on. Mike should be done rebooting them. I'm, uh, not great with electronics, either."

"Not surprised," Faye mumbled to herself, turning on the devices. She somewhat recoiled in her seat. "Spazz, the camera views are crap!"

"Er, yeah. I guess in making this place feel as vintage as we could, we kinda overdid it. That's kinda why I had Mike come in. Didn't want to risk the place catching fire. It's, uh, still a real possibility, so...just be careful, over there."

"Will do. So what does what?" She curiously tapped on the screen in front of her, changing the cameras.

"Well, you've got two tablets. One manages the cameras throughout the building, the other oversees maintenance of the vents and electrical systems. You'll want to make sure nothing goes offline, so keep the systems rebooted. Oh, and make sure you've got adequate air flow. The vents are freaking huge, but they don't circulate oxygen, too well."

"Oh, perfect..."

"I know. Sorry about that. I can't get a guy in until next week, so...just manage the best you can."

"Got it."

"Anyway, I don't have anything new for you just yet. For tonight, get acquainted with the office, keep an eye on things. I'll call you again, tomorrow night. Uh, gotta go. My guys tell me they've found some hidden room. Gonna go check it out, see what we can find for the attraction."

"Good luck."

"Heh, thanks. Okay, good night."

There was a click, and the phone call ended. With a soft sigh, Faye sat back in her seat, flipping through the cameras. Through the static, she could make out several of the other halls. One had stars hanging from the ceiling. Another had a discarded Chica head on the floor, casting light from inside. A third had pieces of an old Bonnie. Then there was the hall just outside her door. Most of a Freddy model sat there on a metal frame. There were unused video game consoles near the entrance of the building. Other than that, there wasn't much to see, yet. The newer hallways didn't have cameras. For the first night, nothing much happened. A nice surprise, in Faye's book. Soon enough, 6 am rolled around. The alarm on the desk beeped the end of her shift. She stood with a yawn, reaching to turn off the alarm. Grabbing her belongings, she approached the time clock, once more.

Another DING announced her free to go.

"One night down. Countless more to go."

Stepping out and toward the emergency exit, Faye withdrew her key, unlocking the door to let herself out.

**********************************************

As was expected, the family immediately wanted to hear how the first night had gone. Well, once Faye had gotten some sleep, that is. Marionette had appeared rather curious as well, likely to know if there were any new animatronics to report. Nothing he could bring to life. Faye was certain to tell him there were no threats to her safety. No need for him to follow her from home, again. Definitely no need for a repeat of fresh blood oozing out of an animatronic, either. As far as the family knew, her boss was polite, albeit new to the whole management thing. She just had to last up through Halloween, and she could move on to the new location.

...Which was about a month away from opening. Curse it all.

For now, a job was a job. A pleasant day with family led up to Faye's second night of pulling up to park in the lot of Fazbear's Fright. Just as the previous night, no one else was present. Securing her car, Faye neatened her uniform and checked her belt for her taser--just in case--before entering through the emergency exit to reach her office. She'd only punched in, when the phone rang again. She answered, putting it on Speaker. "Good evening. Clocking in ten minutes early, if that's okay."

"Hey again, Faye. Uh, don't even worry about how soon you punch in, okay? You're the experienced one here, not me."

"Sooner I do, the sooner I make bank."

"Heh, fair enough. Oh! So, I've got some awesome news for you," Rex stated, voice already sounding excited.

"Do you? Did your search last night pay off?"

"You bet it did! Okay, so...to start off, we found some more drawings. Some kinda cute, some...unidentifiable. Uh, and we found another Foxy head. Um, don't know which version of him it's supposed to be. Could I maybe get you to look at it, when you have time?"

"If I can, sure."

"Alright, thanks. Uhh...oh! We found some tapes, too. They look ancient. Probably from back when they trained employees with these things."

"Boss, don't go hurting my feelings. THEY used tapes when training ME."

"Shoot, sorry! I-I wasn't trying to imply that YOU were, uh..."

"Forget that, I was just teasing," she smirked, relaxing in her chair.

"Oh...heh. I think I need some more sleep. Don't think I'm on my A-game, right now."

"Depends on how late you guys stayed out there."

"Heh, pretty darn late. I don't think I even looked at my wa--y'know, I'm getting off topic. Listen, we checked out that hidden room. You're not going to believe what we found, man!"

"An invitation to the PlayBoy mansion?"

"Pff--I wish, man! But, no. Listen, we found one. A REAL one."

She glanced to the phone, brows furrowed. "You found a real one what? What did you find?"

There were other voices in the background.

"Oh--sorry. I, uh, gotta go. We're at another location, tonight," Rex spoke, other sounds echoing in the background.

"Okay, hold up. What location were you at to find a 'hidden room'?" questioned his guard.

"Can't talk, right now. Uh, look, it's in there, somewhere. We stopped by earlier today to drop it off. I'm sure you'll see it. Just keep an eye on things for me. I'll call you when I get a chance."

"Boss--"

"Good night, Faye."

Another click. The call had ended. Which ultimately ticked Faye off.

"Oh, you little COWARD!" She slammed a palm on the desk's surface, thankful he'd hung up before he could hear her shout. Sinking back in her chair, she mentally grumbled to herself, eyes dropping to glare at the tablets. So, whatever they'd found was in there with her, was it? Well, time for the process of elimination. Whatever was there now that wasn't before would be what she was looking for. Her hands gathered up her primary tablet, turning on the various cameras. Eyes partly shut, she began skimming through the different views.

Chica's head was there.

Bonnie was there.

Another Foxy head posed to look as if it were peering out from behind a game console. New, but not what she was looking for.

Freddy was still dangling in the hall outside her office.

...Okay, what the heck was that?

Faye pulled the tablet closer, almost squinting as she tried to see through the static. Something was collapsed by the front doors, left by the admission stands. Where they'd dropped it, it was dark. Too dark to make out exactly what 'IT' was. She could make out two legs--an animatronic, no doubt--with partially decaying feet. "Hm...well, dunno which character you are, yet. But...so long as you don't move, I guess..." Faye muttered quietly, soon enough resuming her camera-flipping to monitor the building. The first hour was uneventful...up until a red light in her office flared to life. Alerted, she checked the maintenance panel. Air vents needed to be switched back on. "Spazz...just about forgot," she scolded herself, letting the system reboot while she resumed her viewing. Curious, she switched back to observe the new addition by the front doors.

She immediately pulled back her hand, as though the screen had burned her.

The animatronic was MOVING. Still collapsed on the floor, it jolted and twitched, as if struggling to regain control. Several minutes of this passed. Then...it stopped. Its head lifted, purple eyes glowing and staring straight at the camera! Faye felt her jaw slowly drop open, eyes widen. In that instant, she bolted from her chair to the office door, slamming it shut. A bit TOO loudly. She cringed at the resulting bang, recovering in time to reach and turn the lock. 'Spazz...did it hear that?' She neared her station once more, eyes on the screen. Whatever was hidden in the dark wasn't there, anymore. "Where did you go?" she asked, rapidly flipping between cameras to find...whatever the heck they'd found. Her finger tapped the screen four times, then froze. In one hall, engulfed in darkness, once-purple eyes stared back, now a bright white. She swallowed, teeth faintly bared. It had heard her. Static claimed the screen. When it faded, the animatronic had vanished. The aunt hurried to relocate it, going as far as to check the vents. Nothing. The halls? Still nothing. The front doors? Nothing, again. But what about the emergency exit? Like before, nothing. "Where...?" She lightly jumped as the cameras shut off, another red light flashing. Systems needed rebooted. Grunting, she set down one tablet to reach for the other.

Her body stopped, arm ever so slowly withdrawing close to the form it was attached to. Slightly-widened eyes remained locked through her lenses on what stood just beyond her window.

A rabbit. The animatronic was a rabbit. It stood tall, certain to loom over her, if she stood next to it. Thanks to what little light there was, Faye could make out a discolored, decaying form. Many holes had developed across its torso and limbs, the metal skeletal structures of its ears visible through some of these holes. Its muzzle was short, 'lips' eroded away just enough to expose its teeth. What drew her attention the most, however, were its eyes. Bright white, yet...lifeless. As though it were staring through her, rather than at her. Fair, since she and it were at that moment in some sort of staring contest. She felt her lungs expand with air. It hitched in her throat, the rabbit quickly running by the window to disappear from sight. Her eyes still followed. She knew it was literally right outside her door. For the longest time, she dared not to breathe, hardly even blinking. Her body flinched with the rough jiggling of the door knob. It was locked, so wouldn't turn. The jiggling stopped. For an instant, she had to wonder if it had given up. A loud BANG at the door told her differently.

It was trying to break in!

Teeth bared and somewhat clenched, she peered down at her tablets. There had to be something she could do to save herself, before the door gave way. Thinking fast, she rebooted the systems, then checked her cameras. She switched to one a few halls away. Then...tapped an audio icon.

A child's laugh echoed from another room.

The bangs stopped. What had that done? Silence followed, yet she still listened. There was nothing. She hunched down in her chair at the sound of metal against wood. Somewhat heavy footsteps rounded the corner, the rabbit reappearing outside the window. It walked back through the hall, pace steady, head focused on her. It dragged its right hand across the glass, the noise it produced forcing her hands over her ears. Dead-white eyes turned purple, once more. The rabbit disappeared again through the doorway at the end of the hall, presumably to investigate the source of the laughter. Not willingly, it seemed. The animatronic apparently was designed to stay where children were, hence why it stopped its attack with her playing the audio. And while it may have gone for the moment, it had left her shaking. Marionette and the Toys at Junior's hadn't even managed that! Here, she was fearful. Unlike the Toys, this animatronic was violent. Outrageously so. Swallowing, she convinced herself to keep up with her tasks. It had gone for now, but it could always come back. Strangely, for the rest of the night, it made no attempt to break into the office. She found it a few more times on the camera feed, and it hadn't seemed to find the vent leading into her office space. Nonetheless, when the alarm sounded to let her free for the morning, she wasted no time in gathering her things and punching out. The emergency exit slammed shut behind her.

****************************************************

Night Three.

And she still wasn't ready.

But she knew her boss would be calling, likely to see if she'd arrived to cover her shift, so there wasn't any chance of backing out. Not without quitting. And she NEEDED this job. Seated in her car, once again facing Fazbear's Fright, Faye drew in a calming breath. Exhaled. Then turned off the car and climbed out. The walk around the back of the building gave her ample time to gather her thoughts. She could do this. Just...repeat last night: keep the door closed and locked, and monitor the cameras. Ehh...it actually wasn't helping the pounding organ in her chest. Pushing herself through it, the brunette pulled her key from her belt and unlocked the door. It was quiet, inside. The rabbit wasn't there to ambush her. Thank goodness. Entering, she silently let the door close, then hurried into her office. So far, so good. Now she just had to close the--

She froze in place.

The door was GONE.

Not broken or dislodged, but up-right GONE. The hinges were busted. Someone or something had forcefully ripped it from the door frame. Faye had an idea what. Her eyes instantly shot up to the window. It wasn't there. Thankfully. The phone suddenly rang, jolting her into action. "Hey, Boss. Uh, reporting in. But I kinda need to ask you something," she spoke upon answering the call.

"Oh, sure. Go ahead, Faye," replied Rex. He coughed, right after.

"Um...you know the door to the guard's office? Did...you guys do something to it?"

"Do something to it? No. Why?"

"Uh--because it's gone. It's just GONE."

"Gone? What do you mean?"

"Exactly that: it's gone. As in, it was ripped off its hinges. As in, no longer there; I can't close it, anymore. Gone." Faye gestured to the doorway, as if he could see it. Her expression was wary, uneasy.

"Really? Geez...I'll have a look at it when I come back. Maybe someone snuck in and vandalized the place after you left. For now, uh, just do your thing. Keep watch over the place. I'll stop by in the morning to check things out, okay?"

"...What if the person who did this is still in here?"

"Check the cameras to be sure, but, uh...I think you were given a taser to use--just in case."

"Yeah, you gave me one. Sorry. I'm more accustomed to wandering animatronics than people."

"Heh, I hear ya. Still, just be careful. If you see anything out of the ordinary, get out of there. You're by the emergency exit, so don't hesitate to use it if you need to. Beyond that, you need anything else?"

Faye shook her head, "No, thanks. I'm, uh...I'm a little jumpy, right now. Oh! And, uh...the animatronic you guys found?"

"Yeah?"

"It tried to break into my office!"

He fell silent, whereas Faye stared at the phone with widened eyes. How was he supposed to respond to that?

"...Um...is it in there with you, now?" he asked.

"Not currently, but it can now, with the door gone."

"Okay. Uh...y'know, if it tries to attack you or anything, you have my permission to use the taser."

"THANK YOU. I feel a little better, now." That wasn't a lie.

"Good to know. So, if you're set for the night, I'll leave you to it."

"Um...yeah, I think I am. As long as I'm not attacked or anything, I mean."

"Alright. Well, if it acts out again, I'll have someone look at it. Don't want you or the guests to get hurt. Or worse."

"Right. Thanks, Boss. We'll talk, later."

"Okay. Good night and good luck."

This time, Faye hung up. She had her boss's permission to utilize the taser, if needed. Problem was, the taser could only be used once, then would need recharging. She would have to hope and pray once would be enough to stop the rabbit's attacks. After punching in, Faye quickly turned on her tablets, aiming to find the rabbit hiding somewhere in the attraction. She found him--in Sleep Mode by the busted game consoles. For a moment, she was relieved he wasn't active. Then the lights began blaring. She turned to correct the problem, then glanced back to the rabbit.

And he's awake. Great.

Her heart began pounding. There was no door, this time. She'd have to play by the bunny's rules, now. "Okay...okay, calm down. Just keep things operating, and use the audio to keep it from your office. Nothing to it," she muttered, pulling up various camera views to track the animatronic's movements.

Oh, how wrong she was!

It was FAR more aggressive this night than before. Faye could hardly keep the rabbit in view long enough to play the audio. Once or twice, she found it glaring at her through her window. The second time, it angrily cracked the glass. She grew worried. Fear built within the pit of her stomach. The third time it showed itself, she saw it duck out of sight just outside her doorway. "Nope, nope! Negative!" she frowned, able to sound the audio in time to lure the rabbit away. It wasn't helping that every time it had to pass by her window, it glared straight at her. Why was it TARGETING her? After deterring it a fourth time, she checked her clock.

It wasn't even 2 am, yet.

"You've got to be kidding me...!" she complained, wiping sweat from her forehead. This was insane! Even all of the animatronics at Junior's weren't THIS unruly. The camera feed died once more, forcing her to reboot the system. When she could view the halls, she searched hurriedly...but could not find the rabbit. She silenced herself. Yet, could not hear it, either. One hand tightened on the tablet, the other quickly tapped its screen. "Where...ARE you?!" Not good. Where could it have gone? She lifted her gaze to the window. Nothing. The doorway. Still nothing.

In that moment, she made a huge mistake: she hesitated.

As she stared at her doorway, she felt it. Large metallic fingers clamped shut around her right leg. The vent...! The one vent leading into the office...! Screams were instantly ripped from the young guard, her body reacting faster than her brain could. The struggle to free herself caused her chair to topple backwards. The metal hand let go, but only to aid in getting its owner out of the vent. Her own hands having let go of the tablet, Faye rushed to at least get up on her hands and knees, fear making her forget about her taser, altogether. She scurried across the floor, her plan to bolt for the emergency exit. Her pace quickened with the sounds of her chair being knocked aside. A cold hand grasped her leg, once more. She cried out, eyes widened, as she was dragged backwards and towards the animatronic hunting her. She sensed it crawl over her and dared to peer up at it. Large white eyes stared right back at her. The rabbit lunged for her, a sickening crack breaking the silence as it forced its jaws open. A spine-chilling screech followed. Faye didn't look, opting instead to curl up on her side and cover her head with her hands. This thing was going to kill her!

"Will, don't!"

The rabbit froze, eyes wide. That voice. Whom called out to him? He glanced about for the source, but failed to locate it. They were alone, he and this woman. He peered down at her. Had she heard it, too? No. She was still submissive below him. She hadn't spoken. But then...who...? Wait. It hadn't been a current voice. He'd already heard it, before. It was a memory! "Don't". Don't what? His robotic eyes narrowed as he thought back on those two words. Someone had called out to him, telling him not to...to...

It then came to him. "Don't". Don't put on the suit. He did so, anyway. There was pain. So much of it. He collapsed, heard someone step towards him. Before the animatronic's bulbous eyes swung free and lodged themselves into his skull, he'd cast the voice's owner one final look. The puppet was there. So were the other animatronics, their spirits. And SHE was there, a woman with glasses and short reddish-brown hair. She'd had her hands up near her face. Droplets fell from her cheeks. She'd been crying. The puppet was beside her, stopping her advance. She backed away, stepped out into the hall. Then...ran. And all that followed was darkness.

"I wasn't lying about what I said, before. When you asked me if I loved you, I said yes. Always. And I meant that."

Another memory, in that same voice. He...he knew this woman! Ears perked forward, he looked back down at her. Her arms covered her face, so he couldn't identify her. He shifted his weight onto one hand, not wanting to crush this person. Not yet. One large hand was lifted from the floor, and he carefully reached to take hold of her arm, gently prying it from off her head. Short brown hair...glasses...but...what of her eyes? Hers, he remembered, were a light blue.

It had been years since he'd last tried, but he needed to speak. He needed to get her attention.

"...F...aye?"

His voice came out garbled, static-filled and almost inaudible. As if his voice box was flooded. To his relief, it worked.

Light-blue eyes opened and turned to focus on him. Sweat and tears streamed down her face, whimpers slipping from parted lips and clenched jaws. Her form shook as she took in slow breaths. His hand let go of her arm, she gradually turning to better observe him. His 'skin' had greatly dulled over the years, no longer the bright yellow it once was, but a faint shade of brown. Possibly tan. He was discolored, dirty. Yet, she looked passed that. This rabbit, while terrifying, looked...vaguely familiar. Had she seen it, before?

...Yes. But, where?

Her gaze flickered over him, brows furrowed as she wracked her brain for details. In her mind, she swapped the dull colors for a brilliant gold, the white eyes for green. He used to have a purple bow tie too, didn't he? Realization made itself obvious in her expression. She took in a shaky breath, hands lowering from her head. "W...William?" Her voice cracked from emotion. But the use of his name--his human name--resulted with his white eyes filling with color, turning a rich blue. Green used to be SpringBonnie's. William was still trapped inside!

The rabbit retreated, sitting back on his knees to let the woman sit up. She did so, immediately reaching with both hands to either side of his face. His jaws were stuck open, likely from something being lodged in the joints. She paid that no attention though, busy examining his features. When everything she remembered checked out, she did something she hadn't done in years.

She smiled.

Sobs slipped out with her breaths, tears already falling. He almost wished he could do the same. Unfortunately, that was something animatronics couldn't do. Instead, his eyelids emoted for him, practically mimicking her. Despite her sobbing and her shaking form, Faye gently pulled the larger rabbit close, their foreheads touching. Neither spoke, mostly because one couldn't, and the other was a mess of emotions. She needed this, he knew. Eyes closed, he reached to set a hand on her lower back. His way of attempting to comfort her.

Neither of the two knew how much time had passed, but eventually, her crying subsided. She removed her glasses to dry her face, softly sniffling. Her next question was: what was she to say? He had come back! Was he still alive? Was he hurting? How was the suit still functioning after all this time? Had he missed her?

...Had he even thought about her?

Faye struggled to settle on her first string of words. What was she going to say to him after 3 years of being separated? Her gaze fell to his open jaws...and right after, so did her smile. Her face nearly turned some shade of green. She cleared her throat, swallowed. Her mouth was dry. "Um...Will? Is...is, uh, your corpse still inside the suit?" He paused, unable to answer her question, but looked himself over. Well, his joints were blocked by something, and his jaws were stuck open. The holes in his torso let him peer clear inside. He saw rotting bits of what used to be his human body. Since he could only speak with his eyes, he returned his gaze. Sheepishly. Faye sighed, now glad that she'd turned down the offer of dinner before coming in.

"Alright. Looks like a trip to the janitor's closet is in my immediate future..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yep...another long one. Sorry about that. Blame my knack for details. XD


	8. Part 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Following Part contains material that may not be suitable for younger readers. (Ex. Springtrap "misbehaving", some corpse-removal, etc.) If this doesn't bother you, however, please continue reading.

"Clean up" had NOT been fun.

Two hours of Faye's shift had gone into removing parts and clearing human remains from the rabbit's body. The woman had returned from her venture into the janitor's closet with rubber gloves, trash bags, and various cleaning supplies. Over her mouth and nose was a mask, what she hoped would help combat the stench William produced. Again, she was thankful for not getting a bite to eat before this. She'd begun with his torso, pulling open the hatch to access his chest cavity. Broken bones and dead flesh were found stuck within, clogging and blocking crucial pivot points in the rabbit's metal skeleton. Sighing to herself, Faye slipped protective goggles over her glasses--in case something was ripped loose and thrown at her face.

She tried not to gag at the imagery.

The rabbit, meanwhile, silently cooperated as she went about freeing his previous remains and dropping them in a trash bag. As her cleaning progressed, Faye memorized all of which that would need repairing, right after. Cords expanding the structure of his body needed to be replaced, many of them stripped and exposed. Bolts and screws were either missing or broken. Rusty joints would need oiling. Faye could only imagine what sort of pain the rabbit had to be experiencing. As she worked, and resisted being sick, she informed William of all that had happened in the last few years.

She spoke on about how her transfer had finally been approved, about how well the family was doing, about how Reese was growing up. She told him of what had become of Fazbear's after his death, of how Henry had closed its doors for the last time and retired. She told him about the new boss she worked for--and promptly backed away as she began to dry-heave.

Although his jaws were stuck open and his voice box was fried, William managed a mocking chuckle.

Faye took a slow breath, releasing it. "Not funny," she stated, an arm wrapped around her belly. Luckily, nothing had come back up. Again, she was glad she skipped dinner. Steeling her nerves, she stepped close to him again, having lowered herself to begin cleaning out his waist portion. Oh--he hadn't even begun to amuse himself, yet! With her clearing remnants from his lower body, how could he pass up the opportunity? He waited a few minutes, just long enough for her to concentrate.

Then the "inappropriate" noises began. The human's face wasted no time in turning red.

"Oh my gosh--STOP!" she cried, eyes narrowed over glowing cheeks. At his chuckle, she gave him a light shove. "Bad bunny. Behave." Her gaze fell from him to her current task, she hurrying then to finish and move on to the rest of his body. "A-anyway...we're now pawns to Fazbear Entertainment's newest branch: Fazbear's Fright. A horror attraction for the Halloween season. Something temporary, just to make the cash to fund a bigger project. Some little cafe or sweets shop, from my understanding. From there, well...up to them, really." While she explained, William occupied himself with examining the room. A horror attraction? "You're supposed to be the 'star' here at the attraction. Something terrifying to entertain whatever guests walk through here," Faye continued, running disinfecting wipes over his cords before replacing pieces of his 'shell'. To that, she gave a slight shrug. "In my opinion, they couldn't have picked a better 'fright'. That was the most frightened I've ever been." She glanced up to gauge his reaction, expression turning sympathetic when she found his ears drooping. "Aw, no, no! Will, I'm not mad. You didn't know. I didn't know. I just..." She shut her mouth, choosing her words carefully.

"We were both confused. You didn't know where you were, why you're here. I thought you were out to...well...I'm just happy you recognized me in time." She attempted to smile, reminded then that he couldn't see her lips. Not with the mask on. His eyes lifted to focus on her, but his ears didn't perk up. "Will...I'm just glad you came back," she said, resting a gloved hand on one of his large ones. Really put into perspective just how big SpringBonnie had been built. One hand alone could easily cover most of her forearm. At her words, his ears flickered. The movement caught her eye. The way they shifted...she figured they were restrained by pieces of his broken skull. In all honesty, she wasn't looking forward to cleaning it out, at all. But it needed to be, if she were to make repairs. The last bits of his limbs were clicked back in place, she finally getting back up on her feet. Nothing she could do about the holes scattered about his 'shell'. "Alright. Most of the cleaning's done. Just your head, left. Then I can focus on your repairs. I'll be starting on your hands, if you don't mind. You're missing fingers," she stated, a hand gently pulling down on his jaw. "You'll just have to resist the urge to bite me, if I'm going to do this."

Her free hand moved toward the release on the back of his jawline, she all but leaping backwards when he suddenly motioned to take a chomp. All in joke, of course.

"I just said NOT to do that!" she lightly scolded him, giving him another shove as he tried to laugh. "Do you WANT to be repaired? Seriously, this time! Open up." She would have said "fixed", but in her mind, that would have come out, wrong.

He gave her a glance as if to say, "Yes, ma'am", then reached to pop open his helmet. The woman flinched at the rotting face that was revealed to her. It was almost unrecognizable. Most of the flesh was gone, bare bone showing through. Her stomach flipped, accompanied by a grumbling noise, and Faye again stepped back to avoid gagging. Aware he would start laughing again, she held up an index finger to silence him. "Don't. You. Even. You have no idea how hard it is not to be ill, right now." Obeying, the rabbit behaved himself, opting to sit, quietly. A few moments' time let her prepare herself, and she soon proceeded to pry the busted skull from its 'case'. Although, she didn't bother to look; she kept her head turned away from him. A few tugs led up to a disgusting slurping noise, the bone crackling as it was pulled from within the character's helmet. In one movement, she chucked the remains into a bag, pausing long enough to let herself calm down. 'Hardest part is done. Just finish cleaning him,' she thought to herself.

The wet wipes came back into play, as Faye finished cleaning up old stains and removed fragments of bone from the metal skeleton. Bags tied, she finally took her mask and gloves off, throwing all garbage in the dumpster behind the building. She spent some time in the small restroom, thoroughly cleaning herself. Upon returning to her office, she checked the time. Almost 5 am. "Alright. I've an hour, left. Let's see if I can't at least get your jaw back in place," she said, turning to the rabbit still perched on her desk. He'd closed his helmet, his bottom jaw now askew. "Your hands can wait until tomorrow," she decided, nearing a packing box to dig out the tools she knew were buried in it. This time, William didn't make a move to interrupt her. Without being told, he opened his mouth the best he could so that she could reach inside. The screwdriver was inserted, a nearly-stripped screw protesting as it was removed. His jaw fell loose, allowing her to reset and screw it back in place--using new screws. It didn't take her but ten minutes to do. "Try biting, see if that's good," she instructed, standing clear of his mouth. His teeth met as they should, jaw positioned properly. He gave his jaw a testing motion, his teeth producing a small sound upon contact.

"Very good. Excellent," Faye grinned, feeling rather proud of herself. Her eyes shifted again from the rabbit to the clock. Thirty minutes remained. "Shift's almost over. But...I've enough time to do one more thing." She lightly tapped his nose, her signal for him to open his mouth a last time. He did so, patiently letting her sort through his cords for the voice box nestled against his throat. Her fingertips soon found it, she attentive in disconnecting and removing it. It was coated in dried fluids, cables somewhat bent. But nothing was broken or missing, so there was a chance she could clean it up for him. Faye sat down in her chair, using wipes to rid the small box of its sticky coating. As she worked, William only watched. But it wasn't what she did that held his attention. His eyes drifted instead over her very being. 3 years had passed, huh? Well, she didn't look any different from when he'd last seen her. She was still on the slightly-curvy side, her hair only a little longer. Those were new glasses. A different prescription? Her skin was still fair, lips still a lovely pink. Almost as if those three years hadn't passed, at all.

Faye gave the device another good look, blowing into it to clear away any leftover cleanser. Confirming it salvaged, the brunette re-approached the rabbit, reinserting and connecting his voice box. She silently hoped it would function. She hadn't heard his voice in so long. Would he even still sound the same? Would his voice be different, coming from an electronic device? Would it be SpringBonnie's default voice from when he used to be a regular animatronic? Her hands lowered from his mouth, her work finished. William lifted a hand to grip his jaw, cautiously testing its mobility. While he did so, Faye shifted her attention to his ears. His left one simply hung, now that his human skull was gone. She realized his remains had been what supported his ear. It would need a new base to stay propped. "Unfortunately, I'm not going to have the time this shift to work on your ears or hands. They're going to have to wai--" Faye was interrupted by the bunny's sudden grab of her arm. Startled, she faintly gasped, but met his gaze. His eyes--still a deep blue--flickered as they observed her facial features. His bottom jaw quivered, hinting at his wanting to speak. Faye waited. Patiently. Silently.

He finally spoke.

"...I love you, too."

It was Will's voice.

The words took their time to sink in. But as Faye comprehended their meaning, emotions began to resurface. Soft laughter fled her in short breaths, she blinking back tears. With him still gripping her arm, she used her free hand to dry her eyes. "...I've waited three years to hear you say that," she admitted, a sad smile crossing her face. His hand let go--only for him to shift himself forward and pull her to him in a hug. This, she was willing and eager to return--now that he no longer smelled like a dragon's intestines.

*********************************************

DING.

The sound faded away as Faye set her punch card back in place. Her shift was over for the evening. Morning? This round. "That's it for me, this time. I'll try to come back a little early," she told the rabbit, proceeding to grab her belongings. His ears faintly bounced as his head perked her direction. "You're leaving?" he questioned, seated hunched over on her desk, arms at rest on his knees. "Until next shift, yes. You used to work the night shift; you know what it's like," she smirked, draping her bag over her shoulder. The rabbit lightly chuckled, "That, I do. Those days were fun..."

"Oh, they were--when YOU weren't the animatronic coming after me," she joked.

"Did that well, did I?~"

"You'd put the classic monsters to shame."

"I'll wave them by in the unemployment line."

The brunette snickered, gradually laughing. "Well...my boss should be by soon to check in on things. I'll come back tonight before my shift starts. In the meantime, you HAVE GOT to be a good bunny. Misbehave, and they might send you away. I can't have that. Not after finally getting you back." Her expression turned somber. "Those had been the hardest three years of my life, Will."

"...Springtrap."

"Pardon?"

They met one another's gaze. "I go by Springtrap, now. Neither William...nor SpringBonnie." He stared down at a hand, pieces of his fingers missing. "I'm some horrible cross between the two, now..."

"Not horrible. Never." She stepped back into view, a hand catching his chin and lifting his head. "I'm just...I'm just happy you came back."

The rabbit's body briefly moved in the act of subtle laughter. "My dear...I always come back."

She quirked a brow, "Always? Heh. Then I should never have to worry about you ever being late~" Although uncertain he could feel it, she gently brushed the bridge of his snout with a finger. He claimed he was neither "William" or "SpringBonnie", yet...there was a part of her that believed otherwise. Still, if he wished to go by another name...

She could adjust.

"Springtrap, huh? Does it have to do with...how you...?" She gestured out his current form. "Perhaps it contributed," he stated, casually. "Hm. I guess I can get used to it. Though, it'll take time," she admitted, sheepishly. His slight nod in acceptance brought back the task concerning his ears. Her facial expression displayed said concern. "Sorry I couldn't get around to repairing your ear. Unfortunately, it'll have to wait until I come back," she said, cautious in reaching to lift it where it was SUPPOSED to be. "I could care more about an appendage I can't feel, sweetheart. It really wouldn't bother me if you broke them both off," he replied, eyes partly closed. Faye gave him a look of disbelief, "You're a rabbit, Spring. They're known for their ears and puffy tails."

"The latter of which, I don't have."

"Well, I COULD, if you could tolerate it...~"

"...I know you're just using that as an excuse to get near my--"

"As I was saying," she cut in with a short giggle, "I have to go, now. Be good. I'll be back in before midnight." A small wave accompanied her advance out of the office. Behind her, she heard the rabbit's teasing growl.

"Hate to see you go, but to watch you leave...~"

She halted her burst of laughter before it could leave her mouth. "See you later, Spring," she called back, leaving through the exit.

****************************************

"...Have you heard anything more about Elizabeth?"

At his question, Faye turned her head to peer over her shoulder, her hands busy correcting another system failure on her tablet. Elizabeth? Wow...that was a name she hadn't heard in years. It took her a moment or two to dig up what little information she still had concerning the animatronic he'd based off his own daughter. "Baby? Um...unfortunately, I don't have any solid answers. Nothing definite. Other than they told me about having sent her and the other animatronics to some warehouse. That was just before Henry closed Fazbear's doors. I tried asking management for more details, but..." She shrugged. "We both know how the company is about its dark secrets."

The rabbit was present in her office once again, but he wasn't seated on her desk. For tonight's shift, he'd settled himself on the floor by the room's vent, one leg bent to rest an arm on. Not an ideal position for one-on-one conversation, but...perfect for any teasing pokes. Earlier, he'd shamelessly slipped a feel of her inner thigh--for which she play-threatened to smack him with her tablet. That was the first time since their reunion that she got to hear his laugh. They both knew he'd done a LOT "worse" in the past. Both had enjoyed it, immensely. Er...but that was a subject for another day. Still, it raised the question if he could even still feel. Metal 'skin' would make the sense of touch rather useless, wouldn't it? Considering the pleased growl he'd emitted just before her "threat", Faye had to assume he still had SOME sense of touch.

Not a theory she was going to test.

"I'm surprised you weren't shipped off with them. How was it the company managed to leave you behind?" she brought up, glancing down at him. It was his turn to give her a look of disbelief. "You expect me to have that answer after three years of being locked in a dark room?" he asked. "No...but I figured the guys who found you might have said something," she implied, turning her chair toward him. "After the incident, the family and I were cleared, allowed to go home. I don't know what Henry went about doing to keep that off the local papers, but...all we heard was that Fazbear's was closed permanently, and Henry was retiring. No clue what's become of Baby, of Fredbear, the Fazbear Band...none of them. Reese couldn't stop asking about SpringBonnie. I..." Faye slightly cringed, resisting the act of hanging her head. "I didn't have the heart to tell her. Only that...neither of you were coming back."

For a long moment, Springtrap didn't speak, his mind contemplating her words.

"Three years later," she continued, gesturing to him with an overturned hand, "here you are. And I still don't know...HOW...or why. Nobody can tell me either, it seems."

He didn't respond, still. Only the subtle sounds of his metal body against the floor and wall were to cut their silence. "I don't remember how long it took for me to wake," he finally began, gaze kept down, "but when I finally regained control of this...of my new form, all I could make out was darkness. A room I wasn't quite familiar with."

"The safe room," Faye reminded him. "It's where you had us hide when the animatronics pursued us."

Silence, again. "Commanding this body was next to impossible, before. I don't recall how long it took to simply stand up. I tried to search for a door...a window. Any way out of the 'box' they'd shoved me in. I couldn't find one," he continued, still not meeting her gaze. Faye thought back to her phone calls with her boss. He had told her about how he and his men had found a hidden room. Not long after, Springtrap arrived at the attraction. The hidden room in particular must have been at Fazbear's! "They sealed you away. Hid you behind a false wall," she realized, aloud. "Less of a hassle than to extract a body from a costume, was it not?" the rabbit asked, rhetorically. He let his head rest against the wall behind him, ears ever so lightly bouncing. Faye had finished her repairs on him earlier using scrap pieces of metal. With a new 'foundation', his ears could move and rotate as they once did. As for his hands, she'd had to find whatever bits of Chica she could, since she was the only other yellow character Faye had access to. Thanks to some thorough scrubbing, most of the rabbit's yellow shade had resurfaced, helping the new pieces to blend in. "I gave up on ever escaping that room, accepting that it was to be my purgatory. My thoughts immediately went to Elizabeth...to my youngest son Cassidy..." White eyes lifted to the human in her chair. "To you."

"Everyone who was there, that day," the brunette clarified. He nodded, eyes closed. "My memory fails me: I don't recall what had happened to Elizabeth, the last I saw her. Cassidy was there with you. Prevented you from stepping anywhere near me. I was dying." His eyes partly opened. "You ran away. I could not see any further than that, but...I could still hear. You screamed...didn't you?"

"Not in fear," she told him, idly turning her chair. "In loss. I'd lost you, SpringBonnie, any future we could have potentially had, together. How else was I to respond to...to having a piece of myself just DIE the same night as you? The only thing my brother could say was 'I'm sorry'." She sighed through a bitter smile, head briefly shaking. "A bandage can't do a suture's job."

"Have you been hurting?"

"Ever since."

"And...upon my return? In knowing this is what I've become?"

"...It stopped."

"Why?"

She looked to him, again. "Because I don't care that you came back as the rabbit you once breathed life into. I was only grateful...glad...you came back, at all." She reached her left hand to the tablets to silence them when the alarms blared. "Do you still remember my answer to your question?"

"My question?"

"If I loved you."

There was a sense of a smile on his face. "It's what snapped me to my senses, sweetheart. Else, we would not be speaking, this moment."

"...You remembered...?"

"Every word."

That made her heart feel just that much lighter, and she breathed out a soft laugh. "G-good. That makes me happy." Her body startled with the shifting of his resting form. "Shall I tell you the rest of what I remember?" he asked, one eye wider than the other to hint at a lifted brow. "Please," she quietly agreed. "None of you were with me, I'd learned. I couldn't tell if you were present, nearby. Alive, hurt. I tried calling out for you. For Elizabeth, for Cassidy. Anyone. Tried. But could not." He reached to tap at his voice box in emphasis. "It hadn't taken me long to understand that...my character and I were one. His 'skin' was now my own. I couldn't feel, never required food or drink. I was trapped in a cage I could never escape. All I could do was Sleep...but all that awaited me were nightmares."

"...I'm so sorry."

He didn't comment.

"Do they still haunt you?"

There was a bitter chuckle. "What DOESN'T haunt me, Faye? In darkness, all I ever see are the spirits I've wronged. I Sleep, convinced they would never find me there. But they do. I relive my death over and over again in dreams. It never stops."

The woman stayed silent, gradually piecing together her next question, "Is there anything I can do?"

"No," he 'sighed'. "Not you, or anyone. This is my punishment. I'm expected to accept it, whether I like it or not. Everything's been taken away from me. My life, my family, my career...my future."

"...Well, not everything," Faye corrected him. "Or do the puppet and I not count for anything?"

A sense of surprise took to his face as he lifted his head. "Cassidy?"

"Yes. In my transferring from Junior's, I'd asked him if he were willing to leave with me. He chose to come back, just as you did. He's with my family, now. With Reese."

The rabbit's 'excitement' didn't last, and he faintly scoffed. "And I'm certain you never mentioned me around him."

She was incredibly hesitant to reply, mentally forcing herself to do so, "No. I didn't know how he'd take the news. Thinking back on that night, I take it he was mad at you, at what had happened with the robots you built. Had you not built Baby for Elizabeth, she might still be alive. Your family wouldn't have reason to split up. Animatronics wouldn't come to life. There would be no death, no fear. However, on that same token...had you not built the animatronics, you and I would never have met. I wouldn't have had the opportunity to pick up a deflated balloon and let it fly about the restaurant. You wouldn't have had reason to approach our table and show me how to 'properly' inflate a 'rampant' balloon. We wouldn't have begun dating."

"Nor would I have put you in harm's way."

"William, I didn't fall in love with you because of the things you've DONE. I fell in love with who you ARE. Was I proud of what happened, that night? No. In the literal snap of fingers, I felt I had lost it all. I clicked with you when I hadn't with anyone else--and it SLAYED me inside to have to watch THIS happen to you." She motioned again at his being. She'd used his true name. What she said wasn't a lie. That warmed him, inside. However...

"Does it not bother you to know what we had before, we can't have now?" he then asked. "Because you're not human, anymore..." she mumbled, hating that he was right. His head slightly tilted to one side. "Are you...happy with our current situation? Is this how you'd like us to be from now on?" Faye sat back in her chair, almost slouching, "No...but what can we do? I can't change you back into SpringBonnie, or the man whom brought him to life." She was right; she couldn't. He was literally spring-trapped, hence his name. He couldn't go back to being "William". That half of him was dead, gone. What could be done? His ears flickered as he heard her chair scoot across the floor, closer to him. He barely felt a hand settle between said ears. "Hey...we might not ever get to elevate our relationship status, but I promise you, I'll do everything I can for as long as I can to take care of you. Once this 'Fazbear's Fright' mess is over and dealt with, I'll figure something out to get you home. I can't stand the thought of them shoving you back into storage for another year." She smiled at his facial attempt to emote his thanks. Confirming her next thought, she sat back in her chair, hands slapping down on her upper legs. "So! Why should we continue to sit here and pity ourselves? Too gloomy up in here. Let's lighten the mood, huh? Tomorrow night's my last shift before the grand opening. And, by tradition, it's going to make my first Five Nights at Freddy's. You got anything in mind you'd like to do, tomorrow? With it being our last night alone for a little while?"

One of his robotic eyes narrowed. "Anything I would like to do? What are you suggesting, sweetheart? A game?"

"Well, I mean...we can. Unless you have any better ideas?"

He only turned his head away, emitting a low growl at her petty offer.

"C'mon. It's our last night alone, together. I don't want my fifth shift to drag out the impending gloom. You're here, I'm here. We're together, again. So, I think we should do something to sort of...celebrate. I guess."

Springtrap at least peered back at her.

"Anything my brother doesn't need to know about~" she somewhat sang.

Oh. Well, if she was offering...~

"Alright," he 'grinned', righting his posture. "We do one round. Midnight to six in the morning, as per usual shift. I manage my way into your office..." He reached to take hold of her open uniform jacket, giving it a gentle tug. "...Everything comes off~"

Minutes passed to let Springtrap's words sink in. As they did, Faye's cheeks reddened--only growing darker. Her mouth slightly dropped open with shock, it only accompanied by his chuckling. "You DIRTY--" she began, a grin crossing her blushing face as she pressed both hands together over her mouth. His chuckling turned into low laughter. Which only steadily grew louder as Faye stood and proceeded to have a 'breakdown'. "Never in the countless YEARS of my working for--have I EVER--you want me to STRIP on my shift?!" She turned back to face him, still holding her grin, "Is SpringBonnie still in there? I'd like to speak to him now, please."

The rabbit could only give a shrug, "I may be a rabbit on the outside, sweetheart, but I'm still a man on the inside~"

Her eyes closed, grin still present as she slid a hand under her glasses to rub her eyelids. "You're such a bad bunny..." she spoke under her breath.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Would you prefer we sit around and color?" he somewhat mocked, knowing her well enough that she'd 'take the bait'. If he presented her a challenge, she'd take it. Sure enough, she stood nibbling her bottom lip in consideration. Then turned back to him. "Okay. BUT! If I succeed at keeping you out til six..." She picked up a tablet and tapped on its screen. In a far hall, a child's laugh echoed--to which the rabbit's ears perked. "Your name becomes 'Cottontail' on opening night~" If she had to risk embarrassment, then so. Would. He. She giggled darkly at his 'cringe'. "Fair deal?" she asked, stepping close to offer a hand. With a rumbling growl of a chuckle, the animatronic extended a hand to shake hers--before promptly tugging her into his arms. "Ack! Not until tomorrow night!" she somewhat laughed, weakly pushing against his large head as his mouth was pressed against her neck. He pretended not to hear her, repaired fingers busying themselves at her sides and stomach.

Her shift soon enough burned its final hour, that familiar 'DING' briefly filling the office. "Night Four, complete. Night Five sits on the horizon," Faye played, setting her punch card back in its place. "Mmm, and can hardly wait for it~" teased her robotic companion. "Heh! I bet you can't," the woman grinned, gathering her things. "Tomorrow's going to be interesting, to say the least. I'm not even sure if I should be scared," she said, nearing to set her hands in his, a light kiss on his nose. "Whatever gets your heart pounding~" he 'purred' from his position on her desk. "Exactly what my brother said about this place. Suppose what they say about horror attractions ARE true." They indulged in a short snuggle before finally parting ways. As the emergency exit door closed, Springtrap was left to his own thoughts. Somber emotions crawled back into his mind, and he found himself staring down at his hands. Tonight's shift allowed him to find out that Faye wasn't nearly as happy about their situation as he'd thought. She was glad he was given another chance--purposely or otherwise. But his being an animatronic made their relationship...complicated. It wasn't like he could simply take off his 'shell' as he once used to. There wasn't a human underneath, anymore. And continuing to pursue something greater in their relationship was out of the equation. He was easily three times stronger than his human companion. The slightest wrong move could wind up with her injured. Or worse. He didn't want for her to grow fearful of him. He also didn't want to see her hurt. Emotionally or otherwise. But what could he do? He couldn't even walk out of Fazbear's Fright without a human handler. His hands lowered, his gaze shifting around the room.

And coming to a stop on the boxes of spare parts.

The metaphorical gears of his mind--probably literally now--began to turn. HE couldn't be human again, but...maybe...

He quickly looked to the walls, moving to snatch the children's drawings from where they hung. Flipping them over on the desk, he searched its drawers for a writing utensil. He pulled up Faye's chair, then sat down.

And began to draw.

***********************************************

The digital clock in her car flashed ten minutes to midnight. As it turned over, her car quietly pulled into its usual parking space outside the building. She reached across to the passenger seat, gathering up a bagged item and then getting out of her vehicle. Locking it up, the woman walked around to her usual entry door, unlocking it to step inside. The typical hum of the lights was first to greet her. Besides what "relics" were scattered about the halls, they were otherwise empty. And rather quiet. "Spring?" she called, half expecting him to be waiting on her. When he didn't respond, she proceeded into the guard's office.

Only to find said rabbit sitting at her desk. He appeared relaxed, a hand supporting the weight of his head.

"Someone's running a little late, this evening," he stated.

"I'm sorry. My stomach got tired of my skipping dinner, and I stopped by a place for take-out. Not my fault their new chef couldn't tell the difference between BEEF teriyaki and CHICKEN teriyaki," Faye griped, setting her meal on the desk. "Besides, I still have a few minutes to eat. So...move your butt." She motioned for him to depart her chair. With a chuckle, he did as told--only to take up 'residence' at the other end of her desk. "Here, I was convinced you'd back out on me," he implied, watching as she un-bagged her meal and opened the container. "Tsk! As if. I'm not scared," she returned, shoving a fork into her food and beginning to eat.

"Good. Because otherwise, I would have needed to hunt you down~"

"Been there, barely done that."

"Let's hope you can do it, again. Or not~"

"You can wait until I've finished eating. Bad bunny~"

"No rush. I've got all night~"

"And I don't. Also not sure I'm still okay with the idea of being 'eye candy' for a robo-bunny."

"Turning chicken, are we?"

"Never."

"Are you sure...?"

"Hey, it's not as if SpringBonnie has never seen me naked, before," Faye shrugged, smirking at her own statement.

"Mmm, that was a fun evening~"

"SpringBonnie think so, too?"

"Not to worry. You hadn't ruined his innocence."

"...Your previous wife already had?"

"Well...she wasn't as, hm...open to the idea as you were."

"Open to the idea of...us doing 'it' at Fazbear's?"

"Gives new meaning to the term 'child-friendly', doesn't it?"

"Unlike your former wife, I didn't have the leisure of bringing you home. Currently, that's where my brother lives."

"Shame the building was occupied at that time. Would have loved to hear you scream my--"

The phone rang as he spoke, Faye reacting by reaching to clamp his jaws shut with one hand, the other hand tapping on the answering machine. "Hey, Boss. Long time no speak," she greeted. "Hey yourself, Faye. Uh, I thought I'd give you a heads-up. Uh, this might be my last call while you're on shift. Y'know, since you're officially starting, next week. Just thought I'd check in on you, see if there are any questions, or...if you need further instruction on anything," Rex spoke in turn. "I think I got it, Boss. There...haven't been any accidents or otherwise since the door to the office was ripped off. Still haven't found it, by the way." Faye shot Springtrap a glance at the mention of the door. With his mouth still clamped, he could only feign innocence with his eyes. "Well, I still don't know who could have come in to do that. Uh...but I found it somewhere in the back of the building. Depending on if the repair man can make it in before opening night, it might be put back in place. Er--oh! Are you having any issues with the animatronic? I would have asked before; never got the chance to. Wish I could see it in action."

Rex sounded excited.

"Not since the door incident. I think I've managed to work out what kinks he had, so he shouldn't act out, anymore," the woman told him.

"Uh...come again? He?"

"The animatronic. It's a 'he', in a sense. At least, his character's supposed to be a 'he'."

"Oh, you know about it? Er, him? What character was he supposed to be?"

"Heh, you'd be amazed. You found him at Fazbear's, right?"

"We did, yeah."

"If you know any of its history, you'd know Fazbear Entertainment only had one yellow rabbit. Same with its one yellow bear."

"...Holy CRAP, man! That's SpringBonnie?!"

"Used to be. At one time. He isn't, anymore. His character was officially, um...retired when Fazbear's closed. You guys found him and brought him here, and...he's...acted out over the last few nights. But he's gotten better; I've had a look at him. He only needed some cleaning, a few wires to replace. Jaw was stuck open, but that's fixed, now."

"Awesome, man! They never told me you knew your way around animatronics. Guess that means I don't have to look for a specialist, huh?"

Grinning, Faye peered up at the rabbit sitting by her. Springtrap only stared back, growing tiresome of her pinning his jaws closed. Although he reached to pull her hand away, he respectfully chose not to speak up. No reason to alert her boss over the phone.

"Oh, and while I've got you on the phone. Uh, I know you're off on the weekends, but could I pester you for a favor, tomorrow?" Rex then brought up. "Hm...will I be getting paid extra?" wondered Faye. "Well...considering it IS business related...yeah," her boss agreed. Chewing on her last couple bites of food, she sat back in her chair. "A few extra dollars couldn't hurt. What can I help you with?"

"Okay, so I had an idea: we're planning to put up a TV right there by the guest entrance, right? Well, I kinda thought we could maybe, like, record a short film of you dressed as the guard. You could be warning people as they're walking through. Then...I dunno, maybe the animatronic could come in, pretend to kill you or something?"

In that one office, one human frowned with wide eyes, and one rabbit animatronic guiltily lowered his ears. "Pretend to kill me?" Faye repeated, a pit in her stomach. That had almost become a reality, not too long ago. "Well, yeah. Like, the camera could black out or something before you were actually hurt. Not that I'd want you to get hurt or anything," her boss stated, muttering after that about insurance. Or, lack of. "Okay, I guess that sounded wrong. Uh, you know how to handle the rabbit, don't you? Could you maybe...I guess get him to move as if he's going to attack you? Just for a few seconds of a clip?"

Faye exchanged looks with Springtrap, silently debating with him. She wouldn't have to 'get him' to do anything; he could do it on his own. But would he? That, they would need to discuss. For now, though...

"I'll meet you tomorrow afternoon and we'll talk about it. You can see the rabbit in action, at the same time," she settled, hoping he'd buy it. "Wait--he's functional? Like, now?" her boss questioned, his tone of voice practically screaming the fact that he was smiling. "He is. For right now, no. Sleep Mode. But I won't mind coming in to handle him for you, and...we can talk about the video, right after. Will that work?" Again, she looked to her companion. He didn't look to agree. "Yeah, yeah! Let's do that. Uh, in the afternoon? How about 3?" spoke Rex. "That'll give me time to sleep," his employee returned. "Ah! Great! That's awesome to hear. Uh, so I'll catch up with you tomorrow, and we'll cover that video. So, um, have a good night." He hung up without letting her reply. Too excited, perhaps? Either way, the moment the call was over, Springtrap shoved the phone aside. "It's officially after midnight, and you've eaten," he said, reminding her. "Already? Alright, alright. We agreed. And it was my suggestion..." Faye 'sighed', smirking. Standing, she threw away her empty containers, then moved to punch in. "You start at the front entrance. The 'game' doesn't begin until you're there." Their gazes were locked, the two exchanging glances. Another wordless 'debate'. The rabbit also stood, passing by her on his way out of the room. Through the still-broken window, he watched her. Heh...how familiar. At least her heart was racing for a different reason, this time.

************************************************

Another artificial laugh from further down the hall.

Another sighting of the rabbit on the camera feed.

And yet another taunting false glare through the lens. Heh...he was cute, now that he wasn't aiming to slaughter her. She tapped the screen again. Another artificial laugh. The screen fuzzed over, then cleared. There he was, again. The alarm blared, forcing her to turn away from the camera feed. She hadn't a moment to check the time. Since they started this little 'game', he'd been moving rather aggressively, but not to hurt her. What she found strange was...when they began their 'game'...Faye began seeing things. No, not just 'things'. Animatronics--and not just the rabbit currently 'hunting' her. Freddy. Foxy. Chica. Heck, even Balloon Boy. Oh, but they weren't just animatronics; they were hallucinations. Darkly-colored, broken down. They appeared and disappeared like ghosts, startling her when they had the chance. When the alarm blared to signal the ventilation wasn't functioning, Faye returned to her secondary tablet to remedy it--only to have a ghostly Foxy leap at her. An arm lifted to shield herself, the impact never coming. With a scowl, Faye hurried to reboot the systems.

She was convinced Springtrap had something to do with the hallucinations. Somehow. They hadn't shown themselves before, so why would they, now? And how was the rabbit summoning them? This was weird. More so annoying than scary. Distractions, obviously, to get her eyes off the rabbit. So far, it was working. Rather hard to track his movements when something was constantly jumping at her. She'd finished rebooting, only to look up--

Aaaand there he was. Outside the window. She smirked at him. Lifting a brow, she tapped the screen in front of her. Another laugh dragged him away. He tried to stay, clawing at the glass separating them. However, his suit's programming was far stronger. He was soon gone. For now. Sighing, Faye rebooted the systems once more, then checked the cam--

She jumped at a noise within the walls. Her fingers tapped the screen, changing views. He was inside the vent! With a startled noise, she closed off the vent to her office. The sounds eventually faded. There was movement beyond the glass. It wasn't Springtrap. She looked to find Freddy--shortly before he dropped from sight and jumped up inches from her face. Alarms were blasting, yet again. Which meant the woman had to hurry to silence them. She was growing rather tired. Shocking, considering how long she'd done this job. It had to be due to the adrenaline. How many hours have passed since they'd begun? Chica launched herself at the guard, whom nearly tossed her tablet at the hallucination. She moved to reboot, spotting the rabbit peering into the room. Faye had only spared a second to turn on the cameras, able to lead the bunny away from her. That was too close. But she had to press on. Otherwise, everything was going to be on the floor...

The brunette blushed at the thought. No, no. Combat the thought. Imagine the guests calling him "Cottontail". Pff...!

Another search through the cameras. She couldn't find him. Oh, wait. There he was; she could see his eyes. He disappeared. No idea where he'd gone. Still, she tapped the screen, playing Balloon Boy's "Hello". There he was, again. Good bunny. A hand rose to rub her neck, and she looked to check the time. 2 am. Barely. "Screw me," she mumbled. That's exactly what the bunny wanted. Well, if he could. She allowed a bitter smile. More sounds in the vents. Again, she sealed them. Ugh--AGAIN with the alarm. She picked up the tablet, finding a few of the systems down. Her finger hit 'Reboot All'. And she waited.

Too long.

It hadn't finished its reboot, when the tablet was snatched from her hands. She didn't have a chance to contemplate what happened, when the front of her shirt was grabbed and her body lifted from the chair. Her back hit a wall, her hands grasping at the metal one that held her hostage. Light blue eyes met his purple ones. A shy grin sprouted across her face. Then...she laughed. Sure, she lost...but there was something humorous about this whole skit. Springtrap dropped her tablet, closing the distance between them to teasingly nibble at her shoulder. "Ow! Okay!" she laughed, pushing against his snout. He didn't need to say anything--and she was glad he hadn't. "You win. Just...be careful with the teeth. Your bite's three times stronger than it used to be." As she spoke, the rabbit set her down, claiming her seat. "What the heck were those things? Why did they look like the other animatronics?" she asked, righting herself. "You and I have been a part of the Fazbear family for far too long, sweetheart. Those animatronics are impossible to rid from memory. And...I suppose you could say I've taught myself a trick or two~" Springtrap explained, looking physically winded, somehow. "Wore you out, did I?" Faye teased. "I wouldn't say that, but...I've never had to try so hard just to reach one room, before. Junior's taught you well," he commended, tilting his head. "Unfortunately, it wasn't enough, this night. Now...shall we cease our stalling? We only have roughly three hours remaining, and I have a prize to claim~"

His human companion couldn't even retort. That was part of their deal: she lost, she had to drop some clothing. "Systems need rebooting," she told him, gesturing to the tablet he'd dropped. Without a word, he reached down to pick it up, then rebooted it, himself. "Better?" he asked with a knowing look. Smart-aleck bunny. Well, at least the systems would still be taken care of. Her heart still pounded. Yet, she had to ignore it. She'd lost, and she'd word to keep.

She did her best to ignore the bunny's gaze as she took off and tossed aside her jacket, then began to unbutton her shirt...

***********************************************

It was nearly 1 pm by the time she woke. Gradually rousing from bed, Faye tossed off her covers, careful not to upset her bruises. The night before hadn't been what she'd expected; Springtrap had behaved himself, but...he apparently still didn't know his own strength. Although he refrained from doing anything more than touching, her "frail" form couldn't withstand what pressure he'd put on her. There were tender spots along her thighs, rear, and upper body. Painful, but worth it.

She busied herself with getting dressed, then gathered her phone to contact her boss. It rolled to voicemail, so she left a message. "Hey, Boss. It's Faye. It's almost one, and I was calling to check back about my coming in for the video. Call me back when you're available. Thanks." Her thumb ended the call, and she gave her hair a quick brushing before she departed her room. Near the kitchen, Reese and Marionette were seated at the dining table, "talking" over cereal and toast. The puppet couldn't eat any of it, but that didn't stop the young girl from enjoying it. "Eating a late breakfast, aren't you?" the aunt picked upon seeing them. "Hi, Auntie. Emmy and I slept in. Y'know, 'cause it's Saturday," Reese replied, adjusting her glasses and taking a bite of toast. "Ah, right. School's back in session again, isn't it?" Faye remembered, adjusting her own glasses. "For another few weeks. Then we're out for Winter break." Reese gulped down some of her milk. "Auntie Faye? Would it be too much trouble for me and Emmy to go to the park?"

"Your dad went over this with you."

"Oh..."

"Emmy's got to stay in hiding for a little bit. Anyone sees him right now, and the guys I used to work for might come pick him up."

"No...! I don't want that."

"Then he can't go out with you. Sorry, Reese-piece."

Reese nearly whined, setting her chin on the table. "But I wanted to go play there with him."

"Have you tried playing video games with him, instead?"

The girl nodded, "He's beaten me in almost all of them."

The puppet emitted a bell-like jingle in response.

"Well...your dad said your friends could come over and play with you both in the backyard. It's not the park, but it has a large fence closing it in. Gives you guys some privacy."

"Hm...I think Mandie's free, today. Could we play Dress Up in the backyard?"

"Heheh. I honestly think you're a bit old for that, but hey--it's your yard. So long as you don't leave it, do what you want."

"Okay! Lemme call her, real quick!"

Reese jumped up for the phone, only to pause and return to the table to finish her cereal. As she bolted for the second time, Faye took a seat at the table, faintly wincing at the dull pain along her legs. There was a questioning jingle from the Marionette, at which Faye tried to pass off with a smile. "I'm fine. Just bumped something metal at work, last night," she excused. Not a total lie, but she couldn't out-right say his father figure had come back as an animatronic. However, she didn't think it would be enough to lift suspicion--especially considering the puppet had moved from his seat to appear beside her. The bruising around one shoulder was enough to catch his eye. "Really, M. I'm okay. Nothing's out to get me," she spoke, attempting to cover the discolored patch of skin. He didn't need to see how they resembled bite marks. Reese soon enough came back, but before she could admit to her aunt the good news, Faye's phone rang. Her boss.

"Afternoon, Mr. Rex. I trust you got my message?" the aunt spoke, a silent Reese sitting herself at the table, once more.

"Yeah, I did. I was pigging out with my buds, so I couldn't answer, right away. Uh, sorry about that. Er, anyway--I'm heading back over to the attraction now, if you wanna meet me there?" the man said from the other line. "I sure will. On my way, now," she returned, ending the call. "You're going to work?" Reese frowned as her aunt stood. "For a little bit. My boss wants to run this idea by me over recording a tape to play while guests wander through the attraction. I guess it's like an introductory video? Much like a lot of the theme parks are doing for their rides, these days," explained the brunette, whom proceeded to grab her bag. "That theme parks are doing what, these days?" asked a male voice, Mitch emerging from his shared room. Looked like he was off work today, as well. "Have to go in for a little bit; boss wants to look at recording an intro video for the business. I think I might be in it," his sister explained from the front door. "Really? Hope you're getting paid extra. Need any stunt doubles?" her brother teased.

"Heh, I think we're good. Shouldn't be long. I'll be back in time to help with dinner," Faye promised, keys in hand and door closing behind her--just missing sight of the bright red glare the puppet sent her way. "Best to get work out of the way, first. Winter break's not far away," she muttered, getting in her car and starting it up. Would be nice to spend a holiday WITH the family, not just viewing them through face-chat. The drive wasn't long, and before Faye knew it, she arrived in the parking lot of Fazbear's Fright. Her boss's car was there, as well. Her first thoughts drifted to him and Springtrap. How was the rabbit handling a new face? Hopefully, it hadn't escalated into something violent. Rather than enter through the emergency exit, Faye took the main entrance. "Boss? I'm here. Wanted to talk about that video?" she asked, stopping in the admission room. This time, Rex didn't waste so much time in answering her. He wasn't wearing a suit, but something more casual: a T-shirt and jeans. "Weren't supposed to be in today either, eh?" the woman smirked. "Huh? Oh--no. Not originally. Uh, it's supposed to be closed on weekends. Y'know, for maintenance and such. Er, anyway, about the video. So, I brought a camera we could use, and a costume you could borrow--"

"Borrow? A costume?"

"Heh, if you don't mind? I was kinda hoping you'd star in the film. As the night guard in question. Nothing big or too long; just a few lines. Uh...I was also considering including the animatronic, but..."

"...Let me guess: you can't find him?"

"I've looked all over."

"...Did you?" Faye lifted a brow, walking by him to enter the attraction. Just within the doorway, a TV now stood. Likely where this video of theirs would air. She proceeded down the halls, her boss following after. They checked all of the rooms, including the new ones that had been added on. No sign of Springtrap. Odd. On their return trip, she began kneeling to check the vents. Nothing, from what she could see. In a last-ditch effort, she picked up a tablet in her office and checked the various cameras. She found him--in Sleep Mode within the vents. "Stay here," she told Rex, handing him the tablet to exit the office. She knelt outside the desired vent and crawled in, eventually finding the rabbit's still form. In attempt to wake him, she tried tapping his nose. Then flicked an ear. When neither of those worked, she reached for the cords along his neck. Their tampering finally roused him. "Afternoon, dear prince~" she somewhat giggled. "Faye..." he greeted, plainly. "What are you doing in the vents?" she wondered.

"Sleeping. Too many noses getting stuck in my business."

"Oh. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault," he 'sighed', resting his head on crossed arms. "...Are you wanting me for something?"

"The recording we talked about, last night?"

"I haven't forgotten. Just don't want to do it."

She settled herself down in front of him, arms also crossed to support her head. "Come on...it won't be that bad. I say a few sentences, you pretend to attack me, it's over. That's it."

"Wasn't it all too real, before?"

"That's behind us, Spring. Look, we make my boss happy, I get better pay. I get better pay, I could afford to get you out of here."

She nearly cracked a smile at the look of pity he then gave her. "Just five minutes. Then it goes back to you and I. Well, at least until opening night. Then it'll be you and I after the last guest leaves." Awkward silence. "You do this, I'll bring a surprise, tomorrow night," she offered. "You in a sexy maid outfit?" he played, chuckling at her disapproval. "...Alright. Five minutes."

Nodding back, Faye began to back herself out of the vent, the rabbit eventually trailing after her. Rex was there to meet her, surprised to see the large animatronic emerge after her. "Whoa! Dude, it actually moves! That's so awesome! H-how are you controlling it? Ooh! Is it voice-activated? Does it follow code commands, or something?" There he goes, again. Easily excited. "Sort of. Voice-activated, I mean. He, uh...he only responds to my voice, though. Others, he tends to be aggressive with," Faye 'explained', sticking by Springtrap's side as he stood up. "Ah...that might be why he didn't respond to us, before. But...why would he respond to you, and to no one else?" her boss muttered, curious. "His, uh...his original actor took a liking to me," Faye blushed, hoping that would be enough of a hint. Luckily, the realization swept over the young man. "Ohhh. That makes sense. Alright, cool! Uh, what did you say his name was? SpringBonnie?"

"Used to be. For now, he seems to respond to 'Spring'."

"...Spring, huh? O-okay. S-so...I think I'll, uh..." Rex nervously stared up at the large bunny. NOW he felt intimidated. "I think I'll let you, uh, handle his controls. Do you think you could get him to fake an attack?"

"I might, but it may take a few tries."

"O-okay! Awesome! Uh...y'know, I'll let you put on the costume, while I...uh...set the camera up, yeah."

"...Does the bunny disturb you, sir?" Faye wore an all-knowing look.

"Course not! Uh...I just thought it better if you took the reins on him."

"Heheh~ I'll do my best, Boss."

"Good. Uh, the costume's on your desk. I'll get started on the set-up." He nervously stepped away until he felt he'd put enough space between himself and Springtrap. "Boys are such cowards," Faye stated when he'd gone. "That's because they haven't matured into men, sweetheart. That one clearly hasn't hit puberty, yet," picked Spring. Laughing, Faye picked up her costume. "S-so," she began, calming herself. "You wanna help me into this?"

"Never thought you'd ask~"

\------------------------

The screen started off fuzzy, static breaking the silence.

An image began to seep through, gradually clearing up on a 'disguised' Faye. In the recording, she wore a dark-purple long-sleeved uniform shirt and a guard's hat. Her face had a light layer of white makeup, a dark layer of black under her eyes. Upon noticing the camera--in another sense, the audience--she appeared worried. "What are you all doing here?! Didn't management tell you?! Look, what they all said was true: they DID find something. But that 'something'? It's NOT safe. I don't...I don't know where they found it, but it's dangerous! It's been trying to break into my office, all week! I know, I get it. You paid your way in, just looking for a scare. Well, you're definitely in for one! The animatronic they found? It's unstable, out of control. And I'd be willing to bet they've locked the doors behind you. Listen up: if you're going to make it out alive, you must listen to my every word. You'll need to make your way through the attraction and out through the boiler room. There's an exit, back that way. I'll go ahead and engage the manual override, just so you guys will have a clear path out." She typed away on her computer's keyboard, then jumped at a loud bang against her door. "Oh, no...! He's coming back! Look, I don't have a lot of time. Just make your way out, okay? Don't stall, don't run, but keep a steady pace. Above all: stay together. He targets the isolated. If you guys make it out, NEVER come back. Or HE will--" She was interrupted by the sound of the door 'giving way'. A low growl followed, and she looked away from the screen to something just off-screen. "N-no...no, please!" she feigned, acting out a 'defensive' posture as the animatronic rabbit moved close to wrap a hand around her throat. The camera was knocked over, the screen fuzzing out with static. End of the video.

"So?" Faye spoke up, still wearing the costume, but having cleaned off the makeup. "How was that? Good? Decent? Belongs in the garbage?"

Rex smirked, softening a laugh, "That was spot on, dude! Got the animatronic in the shot and everything! Ominous enough, doesn't reveal his identity, right away. And those emotions! Dude, you could be an actress, someday."

Faye turned to spare a glance to the rabbit sitting behind them. Springtrap had settled on the floor of the office, back against the wall. With 'man-child' standing beside her, he couldn't speak to her. For the time being, he sat in silence. Watching. "I don't know about that, but I have to say, that was kinda fun. A little scary having the rabbit come at me, but...if it's convincing enough...?" implied the woman, turning back toward her boss. "Dude, it's perfect! Just have to get this on a disk, set it up to replay whenever the next group walks in. It's gonna be awesome! Oh, right! Here--an extra $50 for the efforts," Rex told her, handing her a small bundle of cash. She thanked him, stashing the money away. "Right. Well, with that, your 'task' ends and mine begins. I better stock up on the sodas, dude. Gonna be a long night," Rex grinned, already focused on the next step toward making his business successful. "Okay--Monday morning, I'll need you to come in so we can go over where all the bunny's going to appear. I think I've got some ideal places he can pop out of, man! It's gonna be sick! Uh...oh! Yeah, I should probably jump on the next step. Uh...you brought your key with you?"

"I did," Faye nodded, producing said key.

"Nice! Uh, would you mind closing up for me? I mean, I know you'll need to change, anyway. I'm gonna head out, get started on the ads and the recording. We open up, next week." After gathering up what he needed tech-wise, Rex made his way out of the office. At the broken window, he peered back inside. "Oh! And awesome job, Spring! Bring more of that to the attraction, next week!" Finally, he was gone. "I was seriously going to ask if that was part of my purgatory," Springtrap 'sighed', ears drooping. "Come off it, Spring. It wasn't that bad," Faye defended, moving on to changing back out of her costume. "Hm...I suppose you're right. Not every day I get an eye-full of a stripping night guard~" To that, she shot him a 'warning' glance. "You're lucky I'm not human. Else you'd be on that desk, there~" he tacked on. Shy giggles broke up her stern look. "Bet you'd enjoy that, too," she added, soon finished swapping out her clothes. "Well, unfortunately, I can't stay all day; it's my day off. My boss will want me to lock up, soon. Are you, um...you going to be okay for another day? I mean, I know there isn't much to do in this place..."

"I'll be fine, sweetheart. Keep in mind, I've had to pass time somehow in an isolated room for three years. I can manage a weekend, alone."

"If you're sure..." Faye set her costume on the desk, gathering her bag. "If not, my number's by the phone. Give me a call." She neared him then to brush back his ears, briefly making space for her to bend down and kiss the top of his head. "I'll see you soon. Behave." Out through the halls, she walked. Minutes later, the front door was shut and locked. When he was convinced she'd gone, Springtrap stood from his spot against the wall, approaching the desk to open its drawers. From inside, he pulled a stack of paper--the children's drawings he'd sketched on. Taking Faye's seat, he spread the sheets across the desk's surface. On the backs of each paper were references. No...blueprints. Designs. Some of a machine, others of animatronics. All of the latter, rabbits. Some with drooping ears, others with perked. All had a feminine figure. Through the rabbit animatronics, Springtrap scanned, deciding which would be best. A hard choice, since they were all his designs, and each model had a specific talent. One by one, he lifted a paper and set it down, not convinced it was 'The One'. After several long minutes, he picked up the fourth design, once more. White eyes flickered over it.

Yes...this one would work.

With a model chosen, he gathered up the sheets harboring the blueprints for his machine. All he needed now was an unused room and the pieces to put it all together. Luckily, he was in a horror attraction that was currently undergoing construction. With his 'owner' being a full-fledged pack rat, finding the mechanical bits he needed would prove a minor task. Everything in hand, the rabbit left the office, his destination further within the attraction's depths. It was time to get to work.


	9. Part 9

Monday morning dragged itself into being. It was only after 7 when the owner of the attraction unlocked the door and walked in. Lights were soon switched on, and the man in slightly-formal wear began his trek through the halls. As he proceeded, he let his mind wander a mental layout of the building, picturing how he'd have the place set up. From admission, a "guard" would stand at the doorway to the first hall. When one group of--at max--six people had cleared the attraction, the "guard" would allow a max of six more people through. The door would be closed after them, the TV just inside playing the video he'd recorded of Faye acting out her role as the night guard. Guests would proceed down the hall, observing "malfunctioning" game consoles and flickering lights from within broken animatronics before being jump-scared by special effects, such as bursts of air from "broken" gas pipes. Maybe a loud noise or two. One perched suit of a busted character would be triggered into leaning forward towards the guests, as if about to topple over.

They would brave the minor scares of the halls to find Faye's office--where she'd be playing dead. Alarms in the office would be blaring, lights flashing. Her door would have to look busted in, to make guests believe the animatronic really HAD broken in to harm her. Hm...her table looked bare, though. Desk fan...phone...computer monitor and some tablets. There was still a large space in the center of her desk. Could they fill that?

Wait. Yeah; they could! He still had a prop heart from past Halloweens that he could set there. "Bloody" it up, put it under a small spotlight so guests could piece together what would have become of Faye. Of course, that meant she'd have to "bloody" her costume. Rex rounded the corner, picturing his guests pass by Faye's office--which would be blocked off so none of them could enter. His body froze with his next step. Slumped by the doorway leading away from the office was her rabbit. HER rabbit? Heh...no. HE had found the bunny. Of course this "Spring" was his. But...what was it doing in the hall? His heart began pounding. Slowly, he approached. Then leaned down to risk a look. The rabbit was in Sleep Mode. "Hoo, boy...!" Rex sighed in relief, standing with a hand pressed to his heart. If it wasn't already obvious, he feared the bunny. Like most of the Fazbear animatronics, Spring was HUGE. Rex hated to think just what sort of damage this thing could deal, if it WERE truly possessed. Er--not that it could actually be a thing. Right? Those were just stories. Just...myths. They weren't real. Just...just something to scare people around Halloween--the purpose behind Fazbear's Fright. Besides, these were robots! They functioned on programming, not disembodied sentience. Heh.

R-right?

He couldn't help it, but his body began to shiver. He took slow steps to stand before the currently-unresponsive bunny. A hand ran itself through his messy hair. A nervous habit. "Uh...s-so, uh...h-how are you doing this morning, Spring?" he anxiously grinned. There wasn't an answer. Obviously. What was he doing? Trying to talk to a robot? He could bet Faye had turned it off before leaving, so it wasn't like it was going to lurch toward him. Even still, why was he afraid of this thing? And if HE was afraid of it...in what sense was he to leave his employee with it?! Curiosity got the better of him. He forced himself to kneel so that he could get a better look of the humanoid bunny. His color was brighter, condition better than it was when he'd first been discovered in that hidden room. Had Faye been patching him up during her shifts? Hm. Well, why not? There wasn't much else going on, those nights. Well...she'd done a heck of a job! Might be best to consider giving her a raise...

He flinched at the sudden drop of the rabbit's bottom jaw, now positioned as if ready to shoot forward and bite. Had he touched it? Worried eyes flew down at his hands. He didn't think so...? Swallowing, Rex hesitantly reached in the act of closing its jaws back. This thing's size was intimidating. Those jaws were plenty wide enough to easily cleave a hand from its wrist. Yikes--did it even have the jaw strength?

"Harassing my rabbit, are you?"

The man launched himself back and away from the rabbit at the woman's voice, almost screaming. At his panic attack, the voice laughed. He turned to find Faye standing at the corner, a light jacket over a long-sleeved shirt and jeans. Held to her body by a strap was a guitar. Surrounding lights reflected off her glasses as she approached. "Morning, Boss," she then greeted. "Uh...uh...g-good morning, Faye. Heh, I...uh...I wasn't...eh, just checking up on Spring for ya," Rex tried to excuse, stumbling while getting back on his feet. "Sure you weren't trying to activate him?" she joked, gaze drifting between the two of them. "A-activate?! Uh, no! I mean, well...I wasn't going to without you present, yeah," he nervously smirked. "Uh...so what's with the guitar?" he asked, aiming to change subjects. "Just a little something I thought we could add to the attraction. SpringBonnie used to play guitar, after all," Faye told him, crouching down beside the large bunny. A finger brushed against the ridge of his snout. "Morning, honey-bunny~" she softly spoke, expression relaxed. Moments later, his jaws closed and his robotic eyelids silently opened, white irises filling with blue as they focused on her. In their silent communication, she gently pinned his bottom jaw with a palm, light-blue eyes darting to the other man present.

'Don't speak. We have company.'

"Uhhh...you know, you don't have to activate him. He could, uh...heheh, he could stay in Sleep Mode, a while," spoke a nervous Rex, hands wringing together. "What's the matter, Boss? You scared of your own star attraction?" his employee teased, remaining crouched by Springtrap. "W-well...okay, so he's a little imposing. Y'know, size-wise and all," he replied, trying to shrug off his fear. "Then you'll have no trouble giving guests the fright they pay for~" she returned with a wink.

"Ehh, sure. Heh. Uh, just...keep him away from me, all right? Something about him makes my skin crawl..."

Faye could only grin--both to herself and for the rabbit she'd put back together. "Uh oh. Looks like someone had a bad experience with the Easter Bunny~" she teased on, glancing to Spring as she gently brushed over his nose with the pad of a finger. As if taking her hint, Spring turned his head to face her boss, blue eyes turning white once again. His ears lightly bobbed with such brief movement. Suddenly, his jaw swung open, a screech pouring from within. The man yelped, leaping back and tripping over himself, landing on his back. There was more laughter from the woman, whom used Spring to ground herself and keep from falling over. "O-okay! Enough of that! I don't know how you're getting him to do that, but...s-save it for the guests!" Rex worriedly frowned, body curled up almost defensively. "Sure thing, Boss." Standing, she moved to help the man back on his feet. "Um, so, uh, they finished the rest of the corridors. Do you want to walk 'em with me?" the brown-haired man offered. Anything to get him as far away from Spring as possible. "Sure. Just let me set this down, somewhere." Faye began to pull the guitar from off her back, while he walked on to the next hall. Clearly, he wasn't settled with the now active Springtrap. "A little surprise for you," she quietly stated, handing the rabbit a familiar red instrument. "...Where the h*ll did you get this?" he plainly asked, eyes somewhat widened at the sight of the object in his hands. "Online bid. Leftovers from Fredbear's, from what I read. I thought you'd maybe like to try playing, again?" she faintly smirked.

"You 'thought'? Ever try asking?"

"Hey, I repaired your hands. You may as well use them."

"Oh, I could USE them, all right~"

"On something OTHER than me, you bad bunny."

There wasn't a chuckle, as she'd expected. Instead, she got something close to a scoff.

"Maybe you could play something for me? For when I close the building?"

A slight eye-roll.

"C'mon, Spring. I haven't heard you or your past self play in years. And here, I used to love watching you both perform. You had such a talent, both in music and in song," she frowned, brows furrowed. A look of disappointment. He despised that look. He 'sighed', "Only for you. Not going to make a habit of playing for tips." Relieved happiness swept over Faye's face, and she extended a hand to gently rub between his ears. "That's my bunny, Spring~"

'My bunny'. Something about that sentence warmed him, inside. "Knock it off. You have somewhere to be, anyway," he muttered, lightly pushing her hand away. Her smile didn't fade, even as she trailed after her boss. Because he was technically forbidden to follow, Springtrap resorted to staying seated, large fingers hesitantly sliding over the guitar's surface. Learn to play again? Last time he'd even touched an instrument was three years ago. Did he even still remember the cords? Notes? Any of those old songs? His head lowered, eyes closed. If SpringBonnie DID still exist, now was as good a moment as any to let him resurface. At least in his persona, he was more welcome to the thought of playing and singing. Heh...actually, forgo the singing part for now. He'd focus on just practicing his notes.

Faye and Rex, meanwhile, stepped casually down the new additions, the man pointing out new lighting effects and harmless obstacles hanging from the ceiling. Rubber or plastic "voltage cables" dangling from above, flashing lights replacing the random sparks that would normally spew from a severed cable. As the two pushed their way through these obstacles, Rex pointed ahead of them. "Over there's a good spot for Spring to hide!" he smiled, gesturing to an alcove along one wall, hidden by some empty storage barrels. "Plenty dark enough, and right beside it's a doorway. It goes to another good hiding spot. Here, I'll show ya." He led her around the corner, pointing to an elevated platform sectioned off by guard rails. "He could act as though he's lunging through there, maybe swipe at the guests or something. Pretty cool spot, am I right?" Rex beamed, excitement taking over.

"Hm...if that's where you'd like him. I just don't want him someplace where he could risk falling," Faye noted, examining the platform.

"He'll be fine, there. Look, I had a bungee system installed. He could pretend to attack, but not actually do so. It'll hold him back. See?"

"Still...you're sure he won't be damaged?"

"Any more than he already is?"

"I did my best to patch him up."

"Er...and you did a great job! Heh. Er, of course I'll make sure he doesn't break down any further. Don't worry."

They continued their wandering, her boss picking out one last pop-up spot for the rabbit by the exit. "Then the guests will step out these doors, and loop around the building to end up back at the parking lot. Once these doors are shut, the next group will be allowed through. It then repeats until the last guest leaves. So, what do ya think?" he spoke, looking to his guard. "Tolerable, if all I have to do is sit still," she put in with a shrug. "Oh, yeah. You'll be playing dead, essentially. Makes it look as though you were only JUST attacked. Should put our guests on edge." With that, Rex checked the time on his watch. "Oh, right! Tonight's opening night. Uh, could you maybe help me out with some of the last-second set up? I wanna be sure everything's functioning for tonight."

"That, I can do."

"Awesome! Let's start with the sound system."

******************************************

All she had to do was sit still.

Easy, since all she did was lay "collapsed" in her chair, arms slacked on the arm rests, head at rest against one shoulder. Lights were blaring, flashing. Alarms were at full blast, all to mimic an actual emergency. The door to the office had been removed from its hinges and set against the wall, just to make it look like Springtrap had broken it. The hall to her office itself had been blocked off with barricades. AKA, whatever her boss could find to section off the hall from the guests' pathway. She relaxed with her eyes closed, light flashing over her eyelids. Down the front of her guard costume was fake blood. The same substance she'd let drip down from her eyes. Her makeup made her look deathly pale. Fitting, since her character was supposed to be freshly butchered. On the desk, centered under a solid beam of light, was a prop heart--saturated with fake blood. It lit up with each 'pulse', sounds mimicking every 'beat'. Meant to act as her character's still-beating heart. On the other side of the broken window, she could make out the silhouettes of their guests. Well, when she barely opened an eye, she could. One of them was holding a phone. Apparently recording his experience.

"Whoa...! RIP, night guard," he commented.

"Ew! He ripped out her heart!" a female voice cried. Not one for theatrical blood, it seemed.

"And he's gonna rip yours out, next!" a younger male's voice chimed, only trying to scare the girl further. Faye almost smirked. Almost. She had to play dead. The dead couldn't smile. The group soon moved on, a loud hybrid screech of animal and machine breaking through the alarms. People screamed. Alone, Faye allowed herself a grin. Good bunny~ He'd get them two more times before they'd make it out of the attraction. It had been going like this for hours. Groups came through, saw her, commented, then passed by to be scared by her giant bunny. Heh...heheh. 'Her bunny'. She liked the sound of that. When she saved up enough cash, she was going to make that official. Minutes later, another group walked by. One of them tapped on the glass, likely to get her to respond. "Guys, how do we know she's not actually dead?" Another young woman. "Because it's fake, Jen. Come on!" her male friend called back. Looked like he wasn't into this sort of thing. Which made it all the more satisfying when he shrieked at Springtrap's appearance. A string of curse words were thrown--interrupted by another scream when the rabbit got him a second time.

To that, Faye laughed.

More time passed. The sirens eventually silenced, flashing lights stopping. There was a beep from the answering machine on her desk. "Okay, Faye. That'll do it for tonight. Nobody else in line, over here. The guys and I will take care of things up here. I'm leaving the back doors for ya," came her boss's voice. 'Coming back to life', Faye leaned forward to press a button. "Got it, Boss. Feel free to go when you guys are ready. I'm going to be a few minutes." Ending communications, she stood to stretch, returning feeling to various parts of her body. How long had she been sitting? Sighing, she adjusted her glasses and proceeded to shut off the beating heart. There was soon silence. A vast difference from only a few minutes ago. She suppressed a yawn, acknowledging how tired she was. Heh, just from sitting? Come on...

There was movement on the other side of the window. She looked. White eyes peered back at her. Two large, robotic hands were pressed against the glass. "Come in," she permitted, removing her guard hat and setting it on the desk. The figure shifted, moved around the corner and out of view. There was a sliding sound of a barricade being moved. Immediately after, Springtrap stood in the doorway. One of his hands and a section of his upper body were coated in fake blood. He was supposed to have just killed her character, so of course he'd have to look the part. "Anything needing oiling? Joints stiff from all that standing still and jump-scaring?" the woman asked, unbuttoning and slipping off the bloodied guard's shirt she wore. Underneath was a simple black tank top. It had gotten warm in the office in such a short time. The rabbit tilted his head, ears bouncing from the movement, "I have not decayed that much, sweetheart. Sudden movements will do this body some good."

"Heh, after it has sat still in one room for a few years?" Her shoulders slacked. "Yeah, I guess you're right. Sorry if I sound a little sarcastic."

"Nothing personal," he pardoned with a faint nod.

"Did you have fun, at least?"

"Mmm...naturally~"

"Good. 'Cause I could hear it all clear from in here."

"Ah...so I've made you proud...?" He casually neared her.

"Always." She did not back away. A squeal and laughter fled her as she was quickly swept up in his arms, held against his chest. "I still hate that they dirtied up your coat. I guess so long as it washes out..." she spoke, eyes lowering to the red staining his artificial fur. "I trust you'll find ways to 'pretty' me up, again. That's your talent," he said, 'smiling' as she leaned close to touch his nose with her own. "Is it? Then that means yours is becoming a metaphorical teddy bear. I noticed you tend to be rather cuddly when it's just the two of us," Faye commented, openly accepting whatever "cuddles" he wished to give her. His short snout eventually paused by one of her ears. "Sue me; I've been alone in a dark room for three years," he grumbled, pressing his nose to her shoulder. Her smiling facade faded, "I know...I'm picking, again. I was the same way, just...allowed to come and go as I pleased. Didn't make it any less painful." Her lips formed a grin as she felt a cold hand slip up her side, touching what flesh was bared. It lingered at her hip, not wandering any further. Neither spoke for several minutes, simply enjoying one another's company.

At least until those same metallic fingers pressed too roughly against her skin.

"Ow! Okay...I think that's enough for now," the woman smiled, politely passing on any further affection. "Sorry. I know you weren't trying to. I'm just especially, uh, 'squishy'."

She didn't want to hurt him, emotionally. He knew that. Masking disappointment, he set her back on her feet. She immediately took to rubbing the affected area. "I'm sorry, too. I didn't mean to hurt you," the rabbit told her, ears lowering. "Don't worry about that. It was an accident," she brushed off. "Just have to keep in mind, my body's rather...hm...tender? I bruise, easily."

"You make yourself sound like a steak, sweetheart."

"Well, we both know you'd love a bite~"

'If it wouldn't mean causing you to bleed out,' is what he would have said. Yet, he kept those words to himself. His ears perked at her movement, she proceeding to gather her things. No doubt preparing to leave, again. That's what he expected. What he didn't expect, though, was for her to drop a backpack on the desk--seconds before he could attempt to apologize his way through the awkward air between them. White eyes drifted to the clock. Almost 6 am. "I've been up since before seven. Been here all day to prep the attraction, and stayed all night to run it. I'm beat. Probably too beat to drive myself home. So...would you mind if I crashed here?" she explained, spinning around to cast him a tired smirk.

He did not oppose to that.

It wasn't long until he'd found himself sitting in silence against the wall by the office doorway. Before him sat a sleeping Faye, her unconscious form relaxed in her chair, a blanket thrown over herself and head nestled against the back rest. Her glasses were folded and placed on the desk, along with her other belongings. The doors had all been locked, and her phone briefly lit up with a response from her brother in regards to her message informing him of her unplanned "sleepover". There were no frantic calls, so Springtrap could only assume Mitch wasn't blowing a fit. That must also mean she hadn't told him about the bunny's presence. He was, for the time being, a secret to the outside world. Their rocky relationship was also a secret. After all, whom in their right mind would believe the soul of her deceased lover still lived on in the body of an animatronic? His gaze dropped to focus on himself. He was reminded again why he despised this body so. It had preserved his soul, his consciousness and memories, sure. However, it kept him from being with this new love in his life. He'd barely even touched her, earlier. Or, so he believed. Yet, it was enough to cause her discomfort. Not an encouraging sign to have to worry over hurting her every time he simply desired a little affection. Something had to give. They could not go on like this.

Springtrap eventually pushed himself to stand, nearing Faye as quietly as he could. She slept, undisturbed. What level of trust she must have to want to sleep in the same building as a previously-murderous robot bunny. That only solidified his fondness of her. The fact she trusted him...it was only going to hurt him when it came time to initiate the final steps of his plan. Yet, it needed to be done. It HAD to be. For both their sake. His touch was gentle, barely brushing her skin, as he moved her hair away from her cheek. This was something he could never ask her. She could never find out until the very moment when...

It would only weigh heavily on them both.

His steps were as soft as he could make them as he made way out of the office. Now was as good a time as any to resume his project. Down the halls into the building's depths, he walked. He passed by his designated jump-scare spots, stopping in the hall leading to his final 'hiding place'. Standing shelves of props were pressed up against one wall, camouflaging his secret from curious eyes--be it guest or employee. Nearing it, Springtrap took hold of the shelves, pushing them aside to reveal what they had been concealing: a door. His ears perked in a sudden motion to listen for any followers, then he gripped the handle and pushed the door open. The room within was dark, initially. A flip of a switch turned on a dim light bulb. White eyes took in the sights of countless shelves possessing various tools, mechanical bits and pieces. In the room's center were two tables. One clear, the other the current resting place for a 5 foot-tall animatronic's endoskeleton. Most of its metal frame was lined and covered with a series of cables, all branching down from its skull and throughout the expanse of its body. Unlike most of Fazbear Entertainment's endoskeletons, this one had a form of "brain", circuit boards and computer chips protected in a dome of shatter-resistant glass. Its eyes were in a closed position, "eyelids" a solid black. Its jaws of tiny teeth were also small, meant to fill a small muzzle. The bases of what would become ears were unlike other endoskeletons', as this one's were flat and circular against its skull. Meant to rotate its appendages with every emotion. Of course, without its 'skin', this wasn't obvious. It just looked to the naked eye that it lacked ears.

Still, Springtrap could envision what would be made from the literal "bare bones". Every detail had been sketched out on the paper he'd tacked to the wall: what it looked like, how it would move, what it would be programmed to do. All it lacked were official colors. Perhaps...it wouldn't be a bad idea to question Faye for her favorite shades. She needed to like what he'd make, after all. With another look over a shoulder, the rabbit shut the door behind himself. In here, it was just him and the new animatronic-to-be. For now, it needed to remain that way. Locating a chair, he sat beside the dormant skeleton. It still required cooling units to be hooked up within its rib cage. A power core would then have to be installed, and...then it would need charging. An energy source. And finally, a 'skin' over all of it. White eyes wandered to something in the darkness of the room. A machine, still in the works. It wouldn't take him long to finish that, the blueprints still etched in memory. Just plug it in, connect it to a computer...then it would be ready for use. His attention returned to the skeleton before him.

She needed to be completed, first.

*********************************************

The car was parked and shut off, seconds before a yawn fled Faye. She still needed sleep. A few hours at Fazbear's Fright were enough to get her home, safely. Shortly before noon, her phone's alarm went off. Springtrap hadn't been around for her to bid goodbye, so she'd left a note for him and locked up on her way out. No reason to make her boss furious with her.

Nobody was home. Parents Mitch and Rune were very likely at work, Reese away at school. Good. That meant there was nobody to disturb her slumber. Sleep still present in her expression, Faye climbed out of her car, locked up, and proceeded inside the house. Quiet. Secretly pleased, she shut the door back, dropping her belongings in the nearest chair. She just wanted to drop herself in bed. Slowly, she stepped from the door to the dining room connecting the kitchen. Her body instinctively halted in the hall leading to her room. With doors to other rooms closed, the hall was dark. And down this hall, she spotted two glowing eyes. Faye released a breath. "Hey, M. I'm sorry I didn't come back, last night. Opening night took a lot out of me," she smiled, praying he'd buy the excuse and move aside.

He didn't, and his eyes turned a light shade of red. He was angry, she could tell. But not at her. Not directly.

"I didn't want to drive back, tired. Could have risked a wreck or something," she tried again. The eyes came closer, entering enough light for her to make out the puppet's form. She could also tell he knew what she knew. Or at the very least, suspected it. "What's wrong?" she asked, voice serious. A thin arm lifted. Something was held to her. She peered down. Huh. A newspaper. 'What about it?' she wondered. Her eyes skimmed the front page. There was an ad.

An ad for Fazbear's Fright. The ad her boss said he'd be working on.

In the picture, she could make out the form of Springtrap, and recognized where it had come from. Earlier that day, the rabbit had grown bored with his impromptu guitar lessons, opting instead to follow her and her boss in secret around the establishment. Rex caught sight of him peering around a corner, deciding it would make for a perfect advertisement in the paper. When the picture was taken, Spring was only bored--his expression displaying so. Thanks to editing, Rex had made the picture darker, giving the rabbit some fiercely-red eyes. Most wouldn't recognize the bunny, but Faye was certain the puppet would. She felt sick in the stomach. Great. He knew. "My room. I'll tell you," she gave in, the puppet finally moving aside for her to progress. Marionette stuck close behind, allowing her to open the door and enter, first. The door was closed back, the human sitting herself on her bed. Beside her, the paper was dropped, bluntly instilling a sense of guilt in her. "...Do Mitch and the others know?" she asked, looking up at the currently taller figure. Red eyes lessened their harsh stare, dulling as the puppet shook his head. "Okay...good. So, what I didn't tell you last week was...SpringBon--er, your dad...he came back. He's possessing the former SpringBonnie animatronic. Goes by the name of 'Springtrap', now."

She could almost see the gears turning in his mind. He, a spirit himself in possession of a puppet's body, knew too well his deceased father was capable of doing the same. How naive he'd been to think his father--creator of most of the animatronics--wouldn't take the same route they had in preserving their souls. He, his sister Elizabeth. If they had a chance to come back, why wouldn't he? By the looks of it, he had. And now, he'd returned under the protection of Fazbear's Fright. Just when he started to think Faye and her family would finally be safe from the madman...

"...He's changed, M. He's not the murderous guy he once seemed to be."

Marionette didn't believe her. She faintly bared her teeth in a frown. Time to play her ace.

"Look, on my third night, he reached me in my office. He came THIS close to ending me, but...stopped himself. He remembered me, remembered who he used to be. What WE used to be." She gestured with an arm in the direction of Fazbear's, "Heaven's sake, I fell asleep there, and he hadn't made move to kill me!" She watched the puppet's gaze shift to the paper. Was he considering her words to be truth? "...I haven't fully decided what I'm going to do yet, but once this horror attraction's closed for the season, I'm planning to purchase ownership over him. I know; I should discuss it with Mitch and the family, first. I'm not even sure yet where he'll stay: with me in my room, or out in the shed. Mitch said it was still empty, right?" Although ever-smiling, the puppet didn't seem at ease with her suggestion. When alive, he'd seen what his father's creation could do. What one of them did to his sister. How it caused his father to spiral into insanity. It was this decline that led to his mother taking him and his brother away. It had all instilled his fear of animatronics in him, for which his brother teased him. That teasing led up to a mishap with Toy Foxy, and...the rest, he couldn't remember. Just darkness, then he woke in this body.

He knew only a few things: Faye was not the person he was looking for, therefore not his target. Reese was a friend of his, even though he'd never met or befriended her while alive. He had the ability to grant fellow spirits a second chance at life--or revenge--by implanting their essence in animatronic bodies. And that the latter, he had NOT done with his father's spirit. So how had he returned from the dead? The other spirits had been freed after seeing their revenge fulfilled, but Marionette stayed because...his best friend needed him. His new family needed him. But now that his father had returned, there was the threat he would sabotage it all. Considering he hadn't killed Faye, he'd a thought that his father had developed some form of connection with the woman. It hadn't ended well between his father and his mother, so he had his doubts it could end well between Faye and "Springtrap". The two of them needed to stay as far away from each other as possible.

Therefore, Marionette was against the suggestion of buying the rabbit. Especially with a child in the house!

"Seriously, M? He was your dad, once. You were his son!"

Okay, kinda bumping a sensitive subject, there. He gave her a warning glare.

"Look, he's not trying to hurt anyone. I think he's really trying to change. He just needs someone to give him that second chance. I'll be that person, if you'll just let me," Faye spoke, trying to reason with him. Wordless, Marionette crossed his arms over his chest. The woman briefly hung her head. "If he tries anything outrageous, you'll be the first to know. Okay?" Hm. She really thought he could change, did she? He doubted it; his father hadn't been the same after Elizabeth died. However...if what she said about him keeping himself from slaughtering her were true, then the only way this could be proven would be to give her what she wanted. He held up a finger, as if to signal that he would give the rabbit one chance. An understanding smile crossed Faye's face. "Thank you." Her eyes gradually lowered to the picture in the paper, then lifted back up to the puppet. "Might I be granted permission to sleep? It's been a long night."

Reddened eyes turned a calm white. Mimicking the motions of sighing, Marionette nodded, leaving the paper with her and turning to hover out through her door. Thanks to the paper, he knew where the rabbit was housed. He could "pay" his deceased father a visit; perhaps leave then while unsupervised. Confront the demented rabbit, make his point clear. But if he did so and his father recognized him...would his attitude change? Would he cease his peaceful act, and resume the slaughter? For now, the rabbit didn't appear threatened, and so wasn't a threat to anyone else. Hm...for now, he'd leave the bunny be. No reason to risk Faye's safety--especially since she worked at that same location. He'd let her act as she pleased, but he'd keep a close eye on her. A clock chimed somewhere in the house, catching the puppet's attention. He counted the number of dings.

Noon. Reese would be coming home in a few hours. Leaving the aunt to rest, he returned to his best friend's room.

****************************************

The family hadn't yet been informed of Springtrap. Faye didn't yet know how or when to bring up the subject. She thought it best to wait, jump on an opportunity when it presented itself. Sounded right to her in the beginning.

But it was nearing the final days of October, and she still hadn't spoken word. The month itself had been eventful. Besides the occasional meeting with her boss, Faye got to share in the experience with her family, as they had one evening come by the attraction to see for themselves what it had to offer. She knew it was them when Reese cried out for her aunt. Her brother's voice followed, assuring her that her aunt was okay, just acting. The brunette had to figure the fake blood and beating heart upset her niece. Poor kid. She soon enough came around, returning the small wave her aunt gave her. They then left for the next stretch of the attraction, startled by Springtrap. Ironically, Mitch's shout was the loudest. "An' YOU'RE supposed to be 'the man'," Rune teased, laughing. Their voices faded, signaling their continuation and departure of the attraction. A few more groups made their rounds, then Faye got the call to hang it up for the morning. She stood to stretch, warming up stiff muscles. Halloween was only a couple of nights away, then it would be over. She'd saved up over the weeks; she could approach her boss with the offer for the rabbit. He'd probably take it. After all, the attraction would be closed for another season, and someone would have to care for Spring. If the rabbit could behave himself, she could successfully hide him in the shed. Her brother's family hardly used it for anything, and only a few tools were kept there. It wouldn't be a permanent solution; just until she could convince the family to allow him in the same house.

Hm, yeah. Like THAT would go over well with Mitch. He probably didn't identify the rabbit this time, but up close in better light? He knew William. He knew how he'd turned out. If he learned the rabbit WAS William...

Wait. Where WAS the rabbit? Faye turned to her window, but didn't see him standing there. He wasn't outside her door, either. With the spooky sounds being turned off, the brunette wandered the rest of the attraction. Spring was down here, somewhere. With lights being shut off, she was forced to use her flashlight. He wasn't at his first scare-spot. He wasn't at his second. She found him at his third, sitting on a constructed stairway that was blocked off from guests. He didn't look happy. "Hey...what's wrong, hun-bun?" she spoke, aiming the beam of light away from him, but keeping it in range so she could gauge his body language. There wasn't much to go by, other than he kept his head down and wouldn't look at her. "Spring, I can't make my way up to you. You'll need to talk to me," she reminded him. She didn't have a key to the gate blocking the stairs, and he was sitting too far up for her to risk climbing. Thankfully, he didn't continue the silence.

"She recognized me."

Faye blinked in her confusion, "Sorry, what? Recognized you? Who?" She paused, thinking it over. "...Reese?"

He nodded.

"What did she say?"

"...She called me 'Bonnie'."

Bonnie? Oh--because his name used to be SpringBonnie.

"Well, of course she'd recognize you; you used to be her favorite animatronic. For all I know, you probably still are."

"...Does she remember anything about me? About when I was human?"

"Spring...she wasn't present in the room, the night of the...of your sudden passing. And I never told her directly what happened. I only told her you weren't coming back." She lowered the light beam, her head dipping a little. "Since you HAVE, I guess I best apologize to her for lying, unintentionally."

The humanoid bunny's head rose, just enough for the two of them to lock eyes. "Is she not afraid of me?"

Faye shook her head once, "She occasionally still asks about you. Wonders if we're still talking. Technically, yes. But..."

"It's not something you can open up about and admit to her," he finished for her, to which Faye agreed. "I'm sure she's going to talk about you when she gets home. With that, I'm praying the puppet doesn't take her words the wrong way. The last thing we need here is a confrontation. Not a lot of room in this building for error," the woman stated. This resulted in a bitter chuckle from the animatronic. Pitying him, she permitted a smile, "Hey..."

Blue eyes focused on her. Successful in getting his attention, she flashed the light across herself, expression morphing into one more...flirtatious. "Why don't you come down here into my loving embrace?~" She watched damaged ears lower, the robot's body relaxing. Taking the time to consider her offer, it seemed. She heard mechanisms click and turn as the animatronic stood up. As soon as she saw this, she turned to walk back the path she'd wandered. He'd catch her. Always did. The light of her office soon led her on, she turning off her flashlight. Her bag was re-packed, ready for her departure. Not yet. She needed to be convinced he was in a better state of mind. She had only just set her light back in its place at her belt, when she heard a noise...turned...and slightly jumped in her own skin. He was standing in the doorway. There was her look of pity, again. She plopped herself back in her seat, a hand beckoning him closer. "Come on..."

His ears remained down, body movements slow as he entered with somewhat-heavy steps. Mid-way through his approach, Springtrap lowered himself to his knees, finishing his short "trek" to gently lay his head in her lap. Her arms were around him in an instant. "It's gonna be okay, Spring. Only a few more nights of this to go, and I'm going to get you out of here. Even if I have to buy myself a storage unit--anything to give you a stable place to call home." She lightly shouldered a shrug. "Might not be ideal, but it's my worse-case scenario, if my brother doesn't find my purchase of you favorable. He won't have to know of your existence, if that'll mean keeping you safe. From there, well...we'll figure it out. Together." Her hand had taken up caressing itself over the "fur" between his ears. Whether or not he could feel it, it didn't matter. Anything to confirm that he was actually there, rather than a figment of her imagination. Springtrap didn't provide a response beyond lifting a hand to lightly brush his fingers against her outer thigh. There was that urge, again. The urge to embrace, hold, touch...as they used to when he was human. It would always be there, especially so whenever the two of them were together. Whatever he once longed to deal her, she could physically take. Not so much, now. Everything he did--or tried to do--in THIS body, he had to be incredibly cautious. He hated it. Which proved all the motivation he needed to see his plans through.

Speaking of which...

"Sweetheart?" he asked, ears perking.

"Hm?" Faye withdrew her hand, not wanting to block his appendages from moving the way they were intended.

"I've...hm...I've been wondering..."

"About?"

"...Well, you."

"You've been wondering...WHAT about me?"

"Hm...heh, petty things, really. What-ifs, you know."

"What-ifs about ME? Like...?"

He emitted a curious noise, "Well...first of all, if you could change anything about our situation, such as...say, either have me be human again or you become an animatronic, would you make it happen?"

That was a strange question. She cast him a look, which he didn't see. "If I could? Uh...well, if I could make you human again, then yes. I would. I...don't know exactly about the animatronic bit, but...if I could build you an animatronic companion, then yes to that, too. Wouldn't want you to be completely alone during moments I can't be there."

"Really?" His tone had changed. It sounded hopeful. "Well, if you did, what would it look like?" She grinned, slightly, "Why is this suddenly so important to you?" His head adjusted itself in her lap as he thought up his excuse, "I told you it was petty. Ah, but you don't have to answer, if it's sounding too ridiculous to you." That, it was. Why was he asking about another animatronic, or the chance of one existing? Out of the blue, at that? Hm...if it was truly so important that he know... "I don't know what she'd be, but I know for certain she'd have my favorite colors," Faye told him, a hand absentmindedly sliding over one of his ears. "Easter tones," she continued, answering his unasked question. "Calming tints of mint-green and blue. Maybe pastels. Mint would be my primary shade, though."

"Is that all?"

"Heheh, I'm not as talented at building animatronics as you once were, honey-bunny. It would take time for me to design one, then see to the materials to build her."

"You used female pronouns."

"Yes, because she'd very likely be a female-centered 'bot. Something I noticed about Fazbear Entertainment's animatronics: most of 'em are male." That might have explained what made William's animatronics so unique. Not all of them were male-based, and out of them all, Baby had held most of the talents. Spazz...that was an animatronic Faye didn't think would cross her mind again. "Circus Baby". The very same animatronic that harbored his daughter's soul, her memories. Did William ever think about her, now that he himself was an animatronic? Did he plan to go find her once he was out of this place? Rather...could SHE help find Baby once the Fright attraction was closed? 3 years had passed since that night, and even now, Faye didn't know what had become of his daughter. She was probably still classified as dangerous. But...maybe things could change, what with William a living animatronic, himself. They would cross that bridge when they reached it.

"...You DO know why we focused on male-gendered characters, don't you?" Springtrap asked, shifting himself so that he could look her in the eyes. Her mouth opened to reply, but she ultimately settled on shaking her head, lips pursed. "Designing clothes isn't a necessity with males as it is with females," he admitted, ears perking with her short laughter. "You just don't want to touch dresses, is that it?" she joked. "I designed robots. Never was I a fashion-designer," he defended. "I dunno, you honestly rocked purple~" Faye teased, a fingertip pressing in on the base of an ear to make it flicker.

"Liked my choice of wardrobe, did you?"

"WAS your color, after all. You can't tell me it wasn't your idea to stick purple on the Golden Ones."

"...It was. Sue me."

Again, she laughed. Heavens, did he love that sound...! He'd need to double-check that she could replicate it. He snapped from thought at the lifting of Faye's arm. She was checking the time on her watch. "Alas...'tis time," she sighed, head resting back against her chair. "Do you have to leave?" the rabbit asked, though already knew that answer. "Boss'll have my head if I stay longer than excusable. And then, who will look after you?" Both hands gently lifted his head, her own lowering to plant a kiss to his forehead. What she could only describe as a whimper faintly escaped the rabbit. "Lower," he mumbled, voice almost too quiet to hear. "Please." Faye felt her chest clench, everything inside feeling tight. She swallowed, aware what he meant. He couldn't feel it, they both knew that. Still, the fact he'd asked for it, clearly still desired it...

Her hands lifted his head a little further, hers dipping to press her lips against his teeth. She was thankful she'd shut her eyes upon feeling him press back--not enough to hurt her, but enough to get his point across. Why? Because when he did, she instantly had the urge to cry. It remained when they separated. She forced a grin, reaching to grab her things as he got back on his feet. The punch clock dinged, and she was soon at the exit, palm against the handle. She paused, nibbling her bottom lip. Her head turned, gaze over her shoulder. He was in the doorway to the office. "Sleep well, Faye," he said. Her chest felt tight, again. She ripped her eyes from him. "You, too." Her voice cracked, her body acting on its own as the door was pushed open. It shut behind her, legs moving swiftly to get her to her car. The key was inserted, door opened, and she climbed in. Seat belt was buckled, key in the ignition. Her eyes lifted to the building, to its doors. She expected him to be there. He wasn't. She let out a shaky breath, tears finding their way down her cheeks. Eyes tightly shut, she let out a growl in frustration, a closed fist pounding on the steering wheel. The car honked unintentionally, the woman inside it trying her best to hold it together. Recollect herself. The family couldn't see her like this. They wouldn't understand. Marionette had gotten what he wanted: William was to forever suffer. But in his doing so, he was also punishing Faye. Never to be with the man she'd fallen in love with.

She hated this.

Eyes stinging and brows furrowed, she turned the car on and pulled out of the parking lot.

Inside the building, the rabbit listened to the sound of the engine fade away, his own closed fist pressed against the door through which he'd seen her leave. That confirmed it; what he saw. She felt exactly the same as he did. And only he could remedy it. Previously-closed eyes opened, solid black with purple irises. He had until Halloween night to make this right. Turning, Springtrap left the door to return to his hidden room. The machine in the corner had been completed, wires extending from it toward both tables. Almost as if to reach for something. One table remained empty. The other...still a dormant animatronic "corpse". This time was different, however. Most of the metal creature was covered with a shiny "skin", concealing many of its cables and much of its skeleton. Its right arm was still bare, as was its head--still an exposed skull and "brain". Beside its body rested a recently-constructed character "mask", made from the same metallic "skin" as what covered most of the body. The eye sockets and ear ports were hollow, ready for the skull to fill them. All that made any sense of a face were the formation of rounded cheeks and a tiny muzzle, the latter of which had a small rodent's front teeth. Resemblance of a cute bunny's head. With steady hands, Springtrap picked up the mask, intense gaze looking it over. All he needed to do now was attach the mask to the skull, connect its ears, finish covering its arm, and paint the whole thing. Only a few more nights remained for him to do this.

Then they would be together, forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part 9 actually got split into two semi-parts, since the original file was deemed too large on DeviantArt. Therefore, I'm going to have to add a couple Parts to the final number. My apologies. ^^p


	10. Part 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Mild violence and character death ahead!!

"Auntie Faye?"

Light-blue eyes drifted from her reflection to the little girl's in the mirror. "Need something?" Faye returned, having pulled on a red shirt and jeans, currently brushing her hair while examining her reflection.

"Um, I have a question."

"Hm. Then I might have an answer."

The girl with long, dark hair took an awkward step through the doorway, hands gripping at her skirt. "Is it true SpringBonnie's at the haunted house you work at?"

Her aunt faced her, expression puzzled. "What, at Fazbear's Fright?" Reese nodded, "There was a bunny robot there, last night. It looked an awful lot like SpringBonnie. I think it reacted to me when I called it that." She peered up through her glasses. "Was that SpringBonnie?" Faye could lie. Play it off as though Springtrap were some rip-off of the former golden rabbit. Reese didn't HAVE to know everything. Just give a smile and some little white lie. She'd never know the difference. However, Faye had planned to bring the rabbit home with her; get him out of Fazbear Entertainment's hold. Tear him from their fingers before they could do anything else with him. She couldn't keep him a secret, then. After all, Marionette already knew Springtrap was there. Only Faye's pleas were preventing him from going after his deceased father. Otherwise, she was certain this would have all been decided FOR her. "Reese," she began, leaning against her dresser. "What you saw at the attraction? It...technically isn't SpringBonnie, anymore. It's the same animatronic, just...not the same character. If that makes any sense." Faye was quick to clarify herself, while also trying not to upset her niece. Her theory correct, Reese broke out in a wide grin, "Bonnie's at the haunted house?! I knew it!" She laughed in short excitement. "Can you take me back there with you, tonight? I wanna see him!" A light smile did cross the aunt's face as she lowered herself to the child's level. "Bite-size, I've already told you, before. I'd be going while on the clock; working my shift. I can't have you there with me while I'm working."

"W-well, then maybe Dad could--"

"Reese. I know you're thrilled to hear the news. Trust me, I was too when I found out. But--"

"Is mister William there? Did he come back to act out Bonnie's parts?"

"...No. Mister William's not there."

"He isn't? Aww. I'm sorry, Auntie. You used to look so happy around him."

Faye gently waved it by, "Auntie's going to be fine. I've made peace with the fact they found the old SpringBonnie animatronic. In fact, if I'm able, I'm going to ask my boss about buying him."

The girl gasped, "Really?! Bonnie's gonna come stay with us?" The adult lightly shrugged, "That's my hope, anyway. I've already explained to my boss what sort of connection I have to that rabbit. Maybe that'll be enough to help him accept my cash offer?" The child began to bounce in place, though was immediately stopped by her aunt's hands on her shoulders. "Now, I haven't mentioned any of this to your folks, yet. I was...planning to tell them when I get back from work, tonight. Lots of families going Trick-or-Treating, so there probably won't be as many people tonight as there have been. I might get to come back, early. If so, your parents and I will be sitting down for a talk." Still caught up in her "cloud", Reese held her arms up in the air. "Yay! Bonnie's coming home!" Faye let out a silent sigh, then reached to guide the girl's arms back down. "Let's tone it down a few notches, shall we? We still don't know how well your parents are going to take the news. For all I know, they'll hate the idea, and I'll have to buy a storage unit for him. Hate to do that, but if it comes down to it..."

"Aw, don't do that. We have room in the shed."

"Hm, I know we do. But it's your parents' decision, in the end."

The child emitted a brief whine, hating that her aunt was right. "Okay. I don't like being patient, though." To that, Faye laughed and gave her niece a short hug, "Believe me, I feel your pain. Promise, I'll do what I can to try and get our rabbit back. Have some faith." Reese smiled back and winked, "I will, Auntie." The woman patted the girl's shoulder reassuringly, then motioned her off on her way. For the moment, Mitch and his wife were off at work. Reese had just come back from school, having homework to complete. Faye herself was to leave for the attraction one last time in only a few hours. A quick meal and assisting Reese with her homework would fill that time. Rune would be the first parent home, then Faye would see herself off to work. Shoes slipped on, the brunette went for her car keys, which hung near the front door. She hesitated, spotting a set of gold keys among all the silver ones. Her heart pounded, ached, at their sight. Her hand shifted to grab these keys instead, and she was out through the front door. Her body moved almost on its own, bringing her straight to the garage. She reached down to release the lock and pull up on the door. Inside was a vehicle, covered by a fabric tarp. Approaching, the woman caught hold of the tarp and yanked it, revealing a familiar purple car. Still as spotless and pristine as she remembered. Her brother had been taking excellent care of it. With a hand running across it, she stepped around to the driver's side, inserting a gold key. And flinched. In the back of the garage, she caught sight of a white face. Despite its ever-present grin, it wasn't approving of her actions. It did not look at her with piercing red eyes, however. No. For now, there were no eye-lights to speak of. Both sockets were just...empty. Not anger. Worry. Fear, possibly. Calming herself, Faye neared the figure sitting atop a work desk, crouching enough to look into its eyes. "M...I promise, I'll be okay. Just one more night," she told him, extending a hand to lift his head. "Everything will be sorted out. Trust me." Darkened sockets lit up with white dots, still not turning red as they flickered across her features. He was nervous. Almost as if he could sense what she could not. See what she could not. She smiled, reassuringly. She wouldn't lie to him, he knew. He also didn't like the feeling he had suppressed in his chest cavity. Something was wrong--or going to be.

But...he would trust her judgement. He returned a faint nod.

"I'll be back, soon." Her hand withdrew from him, footsteps nearing the vehicle. It was unlocked, opened. She got in, started it up. It was soon pulling out of the garage, the large door easing shut after it. He felt he'd regret not stopping her...or going with her.

The short drive brought the purple car to the attraction's parking lot. It wasn't open yet, so there weren't any guests. She arrived in time to find her boss unlocking the front doors. Upon hearing the car pull up, he turned to greet her--eyes widening at what she'd chosen to arrive in. Rex let out an impressed whistle. "Dig the ride, Faye. You trade in yours?" The woman shut the car door, locking it as she approached him. "No, still have mine. I chose to borrow this one for tonight. My brother was taking care of it," she explained, turning to look at it. "Your bro's, huh? Does he know you have it?" wondered her boss. She motioned a shrug with her hands, "He will when he gets home. It was going to be made mine, anyway. Supposed to have been a homecoming present, but my brother has yet to put it in my name. I'm afraid he's, well, attached to it." Rex nodded his agreement beside her, "I would be, too. Can't blame him. So, why the fancy ride? Special occasion?"

"You could say that." She glanced to him. "Do you even know what this car is?"

"Uhh...I'd have to look up the model."

"Heheh, no. I meant, do you know its reputation? Its history?"

"...No...?"

"You know the guy whom personified SpringBonnie? Gave him personality, character?"

"Yeah?"

"Same guy who owned this car."

Realization struck the man, and Rex gasped through a wide grin. "No. WAY. The Purple Guy?!"

She nodded, "It's his car."

"Dude, you are by far the coolest person I've ever met! The Purple Guy's car?! SICK! How'd you guys score this?!"

"It was put up for auction. My brother bid on it. With his wife's permission."

Faye watched him step around the vehicle, giving it a good look. "Duuude, this is SWEET! Did you guys hear the stories? They say this dude used to be, like, some serial killer or something. And to think he worked for Fazbear's! Dude, this is mind-blowing! We gotta let people take pictures by this thing, tonight!" His employee could only shrug, feigning suspicion in regards to the "Purple Guy's" backstory. She knew they were true--to a degree. Nobody else had to know that. "So long as nobody touches it," she conditioned, not fully open to his idea. "Oh! Of course! I'll put up a barrier around it, keep a guard posted. 'Look, but don't touch', y'know? Aw, dude! It's gonna be awesome! I'm so stoked you brought this out here!" Well, he was confirmed easy to excite. As long as he could get someone out here to keep curious hands off of it, she didn't see any problems with people taking selfies around it. "Okay. Well, while you get that arranged, I'm gonna head in and get our rabbit friend up and warming for tonight," she told him, making way for the doors. "Good idea! Lemme jump on this, real quick," Rex beamed, whipping out his phone to make some calls.

Inside, meanwhile, Faye took her usual route to her office, setting aside her belongings and manually switching on the various lights around the building. The camera systems were turned on so she could search the halls for her bunny companion. Nowhere to be found, at least not where the lights were shining. She checked the vents. All empty. "Hm." Lips pursed, Faye stood from her seat and left the office, daring to tread halls. She hadn't bothered with her costume, yet. Nor her flashlight. He wasn't plotting to hurt her. As she walked, Faye called his name, peering every which way in hopes of spotting him. There were no eye-lights in the darkness, and nothing in any of the vents she knelt by to peer inside. "Hm." The brunette stood, brushing back her hair from her face. Her brows were furrowed. Where could he be? "Spring? You still here?" She opened closets, just to cross them off the list. "Where are you?" It wasn't like him to vanish like this. Unless he was lurking near the exit, he didn't appear to be anywhere in the facility. "Huh....where is our star attraction, hm? He better hope he gets found soon, or I'm gonna--" She halted at the mouth of one hall, narrowly avoiding bumping into a metal body and a pair of glowing white eyes. She let out a startled cry, a grin forming afterwards as she made move to turn and run. Too slow. A large hand shot forth to grab her forearm, playfully pulling her back against a metal chest and into waiting arms. "Or you'll what, my treat?" Springtrap spoke into her ear as she giggled, teasingly rubbing his nose against her neck. "Pffff! Stop it. My boss is right outside," she snickered, gently pushing his head away. "Where have you been, anyway? You weren't responding to my calling you."

"Around," he stated, careful in setting her back down. "I wasn't expecting you for another hour, yet."

"Well, it's Halloween. Last night for the attraction. We have to re-check that everything's in working order--you, included."

"Me? Sweetheart, I'm a grown man; I can take care of myself."

"You're also an 8-foot-tall animatronic rabbit whose bulbous fingers can't reach into those tight spaces." She wiggled her own for emphasis. "Oh, you think so? Maybe we should test that theory~" he 'smirked', sneaking a digit down inside the front of her pants. With a startled squeal, Faye backed out of range, a hand up to stop any further attempts. She still held her grin, but it was now accompanied by a bright blush. All while the rabbit laughed at her. "Bad bunny! SpringBonnie would NEVER think of sticking his hands where they shouldn't be," she 'scolded', pointing an accusing finger at him. "You're the one whom implied, sweetheart~" he teased back with a slight tilt of his head. "I know what I said. But not all 'tight spaces' were meant for you to---you know what, I'm not even going to finish that statement," she said, smiling the whole while at his silencing laughter. She pointed with two fingers to her eyes, then one to him. "Get to your post," she instructed, blush still bright as she followed after the rabbit to be sure he got where he needed to be. His first hiding spot among the darkness, only to be revealed by flashing strobe lights. Standing where he needed to, he turned to face her. "Alright...last night. And it's the big one. You up to giving it everything you've got?" Faye spoke, hands on her hips. "If I must," Spring playfully 'sighed'. "Oh, you must. And I wanna hear some screams. Got it?" she 'conditioned', teasingly.

"Am I not to exceed nightmare-inducing and/or self-wetting?"

"...Yes, by all means. Go for it."

"Yes, ma'am. But...for a little luck..." Springtrap lowered himself to eye-level. "Could I trouble you for another quick kiss?" At that, Faye breathed out a laugh, narrowing an eye. "Bit of a needy rabbit, aren't you?" She couldn't 'scold' him over the pleading look he gave her. "Ah, fine. Tugging at my heartstrings~" Her hands smoothed back his ears, which he pinned back in her motion, and she leaned in to lightly peck his teeth. "My good bunny~" She smiled to herself at the rumbling growl he emitted. Sounded almost like a pleased dragon. Their moment was interrupted by the beeping of the hall camera activating. "Our animatronic up and ready there, Faye?" asked Rex's voice over the intercom. Masking her disapproval, Faye pulled away from the rabbit and turned herself to give the camera a thumbs-up. "Great! Uh, the gang's starting to show up, so...uh, you might want to go get into costume. We open the doors a final time in just a little bit," the man told her. "Got it," she muttered, giving him a slight wave. Withholding a sigh, Faye turned to head back to her office. "Try not to fall asleep~" picked her animatronic, another smirk tugging at her lips. "No need to worry about that; my 'neighbor's' too noisy~" she picked back, walking out of view. She didn't catch the flash of purple over his white eyes.

****************************************

The last few screams died away, remaining guests finally making their way out of the building. As Faye had anticipated, the crowds decreased as the hours dragged on into the early morning. Hearing hysterical voices near the exit, Faye had dropped her dead act to get up and investigate--with aid of a flashlight. A group of high school-aged kids stood feet away from the exit doors, trying to calm one of their party members. Said female was fanning herself, apparently having been scared to tears.

"Everyone okay, over here?" Faye spoke up, shining the light over them. One kid muttered a curse word. "Is that the night guard? Holy back flips, man! Back from the dead?" he grinned in joke. "Hm, yeah. I was allowed to return as a zombie to chase out the stragglers," Faye joked back. "You guys need anything? Okay to go?" Each of them refused her offer. "Just trying to get our buddy here to relax. We'll go when she's calm," another girl explained, closing her jacket around herself. "Not a problem. Um, but I'm going to need you guys to step outside, in the meantime. They'll be wanting to lock the doors, soon," the guard informed, pointing out the doors with her flashlight. "It's cool, miss night guard. We'll get out your way. Oh, but first, can I get a selfie with you? Not every day I get a chance at pictures with a zombie." As the young man spoke, he held up his phone. "Make it quick," Faye permitted, standing near him for him to get his pictures. "Thank you, ma'am. We'll get out of your hair, now. Awesome work! Can't wait to do this again, next year!" The group bid their farewells, then finally got their frightened companion out of the attraction. Another thorough look confirmed there were no other guests remaining. Content, Faye proceeded to lock the back doors. Tonight had been the busiest, all month! She was happy with all the compliments she'd heard about how well she'd acted, as well as how badly the rabbit had scared everyone. In her free time, she had already searched through social media, finding gobs of photos and videos. Most of them induced her laughter, a sense of pride overcoming her when it involved her rabbit. While some cursed the bunny's existence, most praised him for his scare tactics. All had brought a smile to the woman's face.

But now the attraction was closed for the season, and new commentary would have to wait until next year.

"All right, Faye. Building's been evacuated. Great job, this evening! It's been awesome getting to work with you. Uh, I'll get to settling your payment, then see what headquarters wants to do with you, next. You good to head home?" Rex spoke over the radio at her belt. Picking it up, Faye held it near her mouth. "Actually, I'm going to check in on Spring one more time before I go. I was wondering if we could meet tomorrow for a short chat? There was something I needed to ask you," she explained, already making her way back through the halls. "Tomorrow? Uh, sure. You've got my number, so...uh, I guess you can gimme a call. Anytime before seven's okay with me," replied her boss. "Roger that, Boss," she agreed. "Alright. Well, have a good night. Er, morning. I'll see you again, tomorrow." Their conversation over, Faye stuck her radio back along her belt, never once halting her walk. Until something on her right lunged out at her from the darkness, that is. Crying out, she fell backwards, palms held up, defensively. "Okay, Spring! We're done!" she laughed, the animatronic easing out of his predatory stance. Chuckling, he stepped carefully to lean down and help her up. "Guess that about does it. No more needing to spook random people. Halloween's officially over...!" she 'exclaimed', briefly holding up her arms. "So soon? I was finally warming up to the concept," played Springtrap, ears momentarily lowered. "Always next year. As for me, I'm beat. And glad it's over with. Looking forward to some hot food and sleep," muttered the female, whom took the time to stretch. "Have to come back tomorrow and see about buying ownership of you. Get you out of here." His ears lightly bounced with his head movements. "What? You mean to tell me, after all my efforts tonight, I don't even get as much as a little something sweet? No candy on Halloween? How dare," he joked. Faye couldn't hold in a laugh at that, "You can't eat it, anyway. Besides, I've got you something better than candy."

"A surprise? For me?"

"Yes. It's outside in the parking lot, actually."

"Quite the coincidence. I have one for you, as well."

"Wha...?"

He nodded, again making his ears bounce. "It's right here, in the building." He pointed down at the floor in emphasis.

"Is it? Huh...okay, I guess yours can be first, then. I can show you mine on my way out, afterwards."

Springtrap 'smiled', silently beckoning her to follow. Her mental guard was down, he knew. Just as all his previous victims' had been. It needed to stay that way. Faye followed as instructed, pausing to watch as he moved a standing shelf from one wall. Surprised she was, realizing it wasn't a wall at all, but a door. The animatronic opened it and stepped aside to let her in, first. Initially, she couldn't see anything, what with the room being dark. Springtrap entered after her, closing the door back. Seconds later, a dim light came on. Faye had to let her eyes adjust. She then glanced around the room--quickly focusing on what rested on the table in front of her. She exhaled a laugh through a smile.

"Aw...Spring, it's pretty."

Lying unconscious before her was a mint-green animatronic rabbit. It was about her height, with segmented drooping ears that reached midway down its back. Between its ears was a crest of pastel-blue "fur". Brows of the same color were painted above its still-closed eyes. Its small muzzle had a black nose, its perpetually-smiling mouth equipped with tiny front teeth. Its cheeks were highlighted with bright red circles, exactly the same as the Toy models. The mint rabbit's torso was curiously a shade of purple, representing a form of sleeveless shirt. Its waist pieces and upper legs were a dark blue, meant to represent shorts. Hm...more like capri pants. The arms and lower legs were the same mint-green as the head and ears, its fingers and toes the same pastel-blue as its "fur" crest and inner ears. On its "collar bone" was a pink bow. Built and painted on the front torso piece, rather than a separate fabric one. Below this "bow" was a strange circular dip into the animatronic's chest. Similar to the ventilation fan in Circus Baby's chest, Faye realized. But this was no fan. Rather, it looked to her like light panels. Maybe meant to glow when the animatronic was active? "Kinda cute, too," Faye commented, nearing to set her hands on the table's surface. "Where did you find this?" she then asked, pulling her gaze off the mint rabbit and to the golden one. "Find it? My dear, you underestimate me. I built this," Springtrap told her, casually walking by her to stand near the head of the animatronic. "For you," he added, arms behind his back. Light-blue eyes widened, peering up at him through the glasses she wore. "You BUILT this? For me? Spring, I...wow. I dunno what to say. Nobody's ever built an animatronic for me, before. Why go through the trouble?" He motioned with a hand to dismiss her question, "This was once my career choice, Faye. It was no trouble, at all. Certainly occupied what would have otherwise been a surplus of time on my hands. Besides, I'd a feeling you of all people would appreciate it, most." The human cast him a look of adoration, a warm gaze dropping to the rabbit on the table. "What does it do?" she wondered. "What does SHE do, you mean," he corrected her, proceeding to detach and open up its torso. Various cables and cords covered its skeletal structure, hiding its connected "organs" and rib cage.

"She? It's a girl?"

"Of course. You'd said it yourself that you fancied the concept of constructing a female animatronic, did you not?" His eyes hadn't lifted from the robot before him, his hands careful as he checked to confirm everything was connected and hooked up as was meant to be. He left the torso open, fingertips dipping within the base of the rabbit's head. There were a few clicking sounds as the head piece was released from its hooking system. Gently, he took hold of the head and separated it from the skull, within. The drooping ears remained attached to the head piece, which he set aside in order to access its "brain". Impression was worn on Faye's face, as she re-positioned herself to rest her crossed arms on the table. "I'm actually stunned by what all went into this rabbit, Spring. You even remembered my comment concerning its colors," she grinned, narrowing an eye at him. "Easter shades, as I recall you stating. Lucky for you, your pack rat of a manager stocked all sorts of paint colors. Indecisive of what animatronic to keep in the attraction, I could only assume," Springtrap implied, beginning to plug smaller cords into slots within the smaller rabbit's "brain".

"Okay, but that doesn't answer my previous question. What does SHE do?"

"Hm...that, I've left up to you. I was considering vocal talents, myself."

"Vocal talents?" Faye grinned. "You were going to have her sing?"

"Rather popular in the world of animatronics. But as I said, I wanted to leave her talents to you. It's your animatronic, after all."

"Okay...did you at least pick out a name for her?"

"Well...heheh, no. That's also up to you."

"You went through the hassle of designing and building her, and you didn't program her to do anything or even give her a name?"

"I thought I was being considerate of you, Faye. But if you prefer, I could dismantle her--"

"No, no. You don't have to go that far," she cut in with a short gesture. "I'm sorry. You WERE being considerate."

"Apology accepted." He finished his initial set-up, turning to approach a machine tucked away in a corner of the room. The cables he'd plugged in trailed into the animatronic from this machine. Whatever it was. Or did.

"Did you give her a test run?" Faye asked, attention back on him for the time being. He shook his head, slowly, "Not yet. I had this sense you needed to be here to experience her first awakening." The human emitted a sound in awe. So far, she wasn't catching on. Good. Just keep dishing out the flattery. "So, I take it what you're doing, you're getting her situated to be activated?" He lightly nodded, "Her power core's going to need a steady flow of electricity, constant to keep her 'battery' charged, so to speak. Fully charged, her core will circulate an electrical flow in the same manner as an organic heart with blood." The woman paused, shooting him an incredulous glance. "Circulate electricity like a heart with blood? Can power cores even do that?" she had to ask. "With how I built mine? Mine certainly can~" Springtrap 'smiled', eyes briefly turning purple. She stared at him in silence for a long time. "It scares me to think how well you've mastered machinery, Spring." That had him laughing. "I also have to assume you're not going to spill the beans on those designs, any time soon...?" His head turned to let those same purple eyes lock on her. "Not even on my way to the grave, dearest~" She semi-nodded in her understanding. As he busied himself with switching on the machine, Faye resumed her examination of the smaller bunny. Temporarily without its head, the exposed skull left her feeling unnerved. Thankfully, it would be put back together once Springtrap was done activating everything. Curious, she took hold of one of its hands, turning it over to inspect it. The palms and fingers of its four-digit hands were lined with a gray-tinted layer of rubber. Probably to aid in gripping things. "Shall I be content to know you like her?" Springtrap wondered, glancing back at her. "You shall~" Faye played back with a smile. "I love her design. Kinda cute, lovely coloration--"

"Kinda cute?" he interrupted.

"So sorry, but I'm into guys, so..."

He chuckled at her reply. "Then I'm satisfied to know you like her. Pleased, even. However, it pains me to admit that...she's missing a key component. Crucial to her activation, you see."

"She is? What's that?" Faye's eyes followed the cables connecting the rabbit to the machine, suspiciously locking on another series of cables leading...AWAY from the machine. These, she physically followed over to the other table. She had assumed it clear, but it was not. On the edge of the secondary table sat a helmet-like device, also hooked up to the machine. Two rods protruded from its center. In the dim lighting, details were hard to make out about this...helmet. What was it for? With her back toward the larger rabbit, she failed to see him move to a shelf against the wall. She failed to see him reach, close his fingers around a slim handle. She failed to hear the short, sharp grind of metal against metal. She failed to hear him slowly approach her from behind. All she knew as she took off her guard cap and set it aside to reach for this bizarre helmet...was that he'd tightly gripped her right shoulder, and something reflective flashed on her left. There was instant pain. It hurt to even breathe. Pain so intense, it took the breath right out of her. Her eyes widened, mouth falling open in shock. Her hands shot from the helmet to her left side, fingers gripping a large metal hand. Her body shaking, she forced herself to look down. The rabbit's hand was still there, clenched around a handle. The rest of the object was embedded in the left side of her rib cage. A knife. Tears welled in her eyes. There was a knife in her left lung. On her right, she felt him near her ear. "A soul, of course. Yours will do~" he lowly growled. Faye couldn't respond beyond a short choking noise. She was in so much pain...and she couldn't breathe. The hand on her shoulder tightened again as the blade was pulled out. A deep red coated the surface of the metal object, wasting no time in dripping onto the floor. Instinctively, Faye inhaled--only to break out in a coughing fit. It didn't take long for her taste it, blood dripping from her lips. Her left side felt warm, wet. Blood soaked her clothing, joining the fake blood she'd covered her costume with. Her body weakening, she grasped the edge of the empty table, trying to stand. Something metallic--likely the knife--was dropped with a clatter, Springtrap quick yet careful to lift her in his arms and set her on the table's surface. Both of her hands were occupied, pressed against her wound. Tears never stopped trickling from her eyes as she looked to the rabbit hovering over her. There was a sense of regret in his limited expression. "Please don't be ill with me, Faye. This is the only way, don't you see?" She choked on her own blood, desperate to get air in her lungs. Gently, he slipped a hand over her mouth, pinning her jaw shut. "I'm sorry, sweetheart. But it's for the best. For both of us," he said, voice apologetic. Her eyes shut as his free hand moved to take her glasses from off her face. Softly, he encouraged her to be silent. "Just sleep. It will all be over before you know it."

'Why?' That was her only thought, her only question. 'The only way'? 'The best for the both of them'? Realization struck her, and she wanted to mentally punch herself. Springtrap hadn't just built the animatronic for her. He'd built it FOR her. SHE was intended to inhabit it! Her vision began to darken, even with her eyes open. Weary arms settled at her sides. Her body was giving up. Before she lost consciousness, she felt him set the helmet on her head, a strap under her jaw securing it in place. "Just sleep," he repeated, fingertips lightly closing her eyes for her. Her eyelids felt too heavy to lift, her body unresponsive. Sleep...actually sounded nice, right now...

She was soon still, face relaxed. Peaceful. He didn't have long, he knew. The moment she fell unconscious, he moved back to the machine in the corner. Buttons were pressed, switches flipped. Codes were entered, procedures engaged. The rods in the helmet were shot straight into Faye's skull. Moments later, a gauge on the machine's monitor began to slowly fill. Ever. So. Slowly. Pulses of light shot from the helmet into the machine via its cables. From the machine, into the rabbit on the other table. This would repeat for a while. For how long, Springtrap didn't know. At least until the gauge was filled--meant to signal the process's completion. There was much it needed to do, after all. Memories needed to be copied, a soul needed to be transplanted. He didn't want Faye to forget who she was. What he was to her. She would remember this. Oh, yes. What would he say to her when she did? Well, to start with, he'd have to apologize. A part of him hadn't wanted to do this to her. The "SpringBonnie" side, he assumed. He had to smirk at the thought. But the other half of him knew he had to do this. Neither of them would be happy, had he not. Springtrap found himself standing by Faye's body, fingers gently dragging themselves through what hair he could touch. Absentmindedly, he watched her blood pool at her side, trickle off onto the floor. He could only pray she would not be angry with him when she woke.

"...They said you'd be here."

A young male's voice interrupted him. Ears perked, the demented rabbit turned to the doorway, where a man stood. The short, brown hair and judging expression of anger tipped off who he was. Previously, he'd introduced himself to Faye as "Mike Schmidt". Heh--an alias. Springtrap knew good and well whom this young man was. It was literally in their DNA. "Michael...such a pleasure to see you return. We have so much to catch up on. Tell me, how's your traitor mother?" the rabbit sneered, white eyes turning purple. With his recognition, Michael stepped into the room, one hand in a pocket, the other at his side. He was dressed in jeans and a dark leather jacket, eyes as tired as his father's once were. "Feeling's not mutual. As for Mom, well...you ought to know. She was admitted. Stuck in a madhouse, after what you did to the family," the young man began, gaze holding no positive feelings toward the rabbit. "She couldn't handle what happened to Liz. To Cass. And to take care of her, I had to enroll in this lousy job. Unintentionally follow in your bloody footsteps. Imagine my surprise when I heard my father had died. Killed by the very thing he'd doted on, sacrificed time with the family to be with. I thought Mom would take the news well. But, you know what she did, instead? She cried. Over YOUR worthless hide."

The rabbit only chuckled, "Serves her right for turning her back on me. For tearing you and our other children away from me."

"Mom didn't take Liz from you; YOU took Liz from US. If it weren't for you and your blasted clown animatronics, she would still be alive. None of this would have happened, and we would still have been a happy family."

A bitter laugh. "All my fault, is it? Then what of your brother? Hm? What of Cassidy? Because if memory serves me right, he was still alive and in your company. What's become of him?"

Michael clenched his jaws shut. What became of his brother...HAD been his fault. He accepted it. If he hadn't taken his bullying so far... "Resulted from ugly emotions you dealt me. Dealt the family. I wanted him to stay as far away from animatronics as possible. I wanted to spare him the same fate as Elizabeth. He was frightened of them, and I preyed on it. It wasn't supposed to go so far. It was YOUR bloody fox that--" He hesitated, noting his father's smug "expression". "You killed your brother. How does that make you different from me? 'Like father, like son', as they say~" taunted the rabbit, his body now turned away from Faye. "It was an accident. I never meant for it to happen," the eldest son tried to excuse. "My exact words when Elizabeth was killed," Springtrap stated with a slight nod. "But your mother would not have a word of it. Insane, obsessed, she called me. Next thing I know, she's handing me divorce papers. The three of you are climbing into a car and driving away. And I was left with...what? A robot coated in my daughter's blood." Springtrap neared the first table, leaning on what surface wasn't covered by his mint-colored counterpart. "Imagine MY surprise...when I realized she wasn't truly gone. Merely...trapped in a new form. I still had my daughter. But she longed for company. Company I couldn't always provide her. She desired friends. And all I aimed to do...was just that: bring her new friends."

"So you began preying on children, trapping their souls in your creations. Until you realized, too late: they're in no mood to play with Liz. They just wanted to see you burn." Michael's gaze drifted from his father to the body resting behind him. "How did she wind up in all this mess?" Only Springtrap's eyes moved toward the dying human. "We...had a common line of work. A brief visit with family brought the two of us together," he stated, simply. "And she had something you wanted, and you went for it. However, you're dead. How would she stick by you for so long?" his son finished. The rabbit emitted a hum in thought, "Perhaps...she's just as twisted as I am."

"...She doesn't deserve the madness. Neither did any of them. And you know what? They're free now, Father. Elizabeth, the children you've stolen. All that remains now...are you and Cassidy. They told me where I could find you, at least. The cause behind it all. And SHE doesn't need to suffer your fate." He looked from Faye to the machine she was hooked up to. "Consider this an act of mercy!" The arm he'd let hang lifted to brandish an ax he'd been secretly holding. With one swing, he lodged the blade within the machine's structure, sparks and smoke spewing forth as it quickly shut down. "NO!" Springtrap nearly roared, purple eyes turning red as he focused his rage on his eldest son. The young man ripped the weapon free in time to dodge his father's attack, returning a swing. He struck his father with the wrong side of the blade, yet was successful in causing the animatronic to stumble back. With his recoil, Michael retreated to the door. "I'm correcting our mistakes, Father. Starting with YOU!" The door to the room was slammed shut. Locked or barricaded, the rabbit expected as he got back on his feet. Eyes still red, he tried the door handle. It refused to turn. He attempted to break the door open. It would not. Likely blocked by the shelves he'd previously used to hide the doorway from sight. Oh, when he got out of there...Michael would suffer for--

His ears perked, rage subsiding and eyes fading to white. Faye. He'd forgotten about Faye. Worry claimed his features and he quickly returned to the dying human's side. An ear was lowered to her chest. No heartbeat. His attention shot to the other rabbit. The machine had been destroyed before the process was completed. At least, he assumed that was the case. He prayed not. As carefully as he could, he plunged a hand within the sea of cords over her rib cage, digging through for the power core that served as her new "heart". Finding it, he took hold and eased it from the clamps pinning it in place. As to not dislodge any essential cables, he lifted the device into view. A metal sphere filled most of his hand, sections of it made up of shatter-proof glass. To his relief, this glass allowed a bright bluish light to pulse through--his sign that a soul was contained. Michael was too late. He "breathed" a relieved laugh, protectively cradling the object in his hand. A brightening light at the door caught his eye. Orange was engulfing the door's frame, smoke beginning to pour in from below. Springtrap was quick to realize his son had set the building aflame. Just as quickly and carefully, he returned Faye's core to its rightful place, hurrying to finish putting her back together. Cords were tugged from her skull in favor of him slipping the head piece back over it. Torso plates were clicked and closed back over the covered endoskeleton they were to protect. Assured that Faye was secured, he turned his attention back to the door. Their only way in...and out. Growling to himself, the larger rabbit chose to bust open the door, recoiling as the sight of fire and smoke met him. He returned to the other rabbit's side, carefully lifting her body into his arms. She was limp, still deactivated. But she would wake, if he was able to get her out of here. He moved then to the door, pausing. A glance was shot back at the deceased human on the other table. Just a husk, now. Nothing but an empty shell. All that was important to him, he held in his arms. Giving it no further thought, he hurried to depart the room, retreating into the attraction to make for the back exit.

***********************************************

He couldn't see the building from where he'd taken refuge. But he could certainly see the flames, the light they produced. His body was lightly singed, sections of his limbs blackened from the heat. Easily cleaned; nothing he worried about. The sky was dark, a few hours of night remaining. Concealed by trees, the metal rabbit looked on as the place he temporarily called home was swallowed by fire. His body mimicked the action of a sigh. He'd made it out. And so had she. His head lowered, gaze on the smaller rabbit in his lap. They'd been out here for...he didn't know how long. But there still hadn't been any signs of life from the smaller bunny. "Hare". She was a hare, he reminded himself. He couldn't bring himself to "smile". Not while it was unclear if she'd ever wake, again. Her soul had been granted enough time to be transplanted, but...had it enough power, strength, to survive? He hoped so. Prayed so. White eyes took in her still form. She was slightly blackened in some spots, but otherwise undamaged. He would get them both cleaned up.

She just had to wake up.

He took one of her small hands in his large one. "Faye...I'm sorry. For all of this. Michael was right: you didn't deserve any of this. But I beg of you...don't...don't leave me. I don't..." Springtrap paused. Then shut his eyes. "I don't want to be alone, again."

There was an uncomfortably long silence. Broken eventually by a low hum. Like...machinery just starting up. Or...maybe a computer system. White eyes opened, turning blue. The hand he held faintly twitched, stilled. One of her ears flickered, stilled. Legs were pulled close, bent, one pushing a foot against one of his legs. There was a slight head movement, her eyes finally opening. Black scleras held light-blue irises, which darted about as she took in their surroundings. "Faye?" Those eyes locked on him, and she tilted her head while trying to place his name. "...Spring?" She was confused by his relieved laughs. Why was he upset? "I'm so glad you...I thought...I was so scared you wouldn't make it," he admitted, a hand moving to cup her cheek. "I wouldn't make it...?" she repeated, trying to remember. When she did, anger seeped into her expression. "You...you STABBED me! How could you DO that?! I trusted y--" She'd slammed a fist against his chest, a tiny noise representing a gasp fleeing her when she noticed...it wasn't her hand. It was metal, with four digits. And yet, it WAS. It moved as she desired it. She held it at chest level, just to examine it. The same with her other hand, then down at her own body. She wasn't human, anymore. The rabbit she was previously looking at...it was HER, now. SHE was the rabbit. In shock, she let her arms sit in her lap, her stare focused on nothing in the distance. Springtrap took that moment to talk to her.

"Faye."

Her glowing eyes eventually returned to him.

"I don't...I don't quite know what to say. I know nothing I tell you is going to make this easier for you. But believe me when I say...there wasn't any other way. If there had been, I would have explored it, first."

Hm. Heh..."would have explored it, first". So he says. But bitterness aside, she knew what he was getting at. He wanted for the two of them to be together. To truly BE together, as a couple. That couldn't happen when one of them was still human, alive. And he'd stabbed her out of the blue, because...well, obviously she wouldn't say yes to dying. However...the sense of trust she'd had for him, he'd almost shattered by his earlier stunt. And while he was relieved she'd survived, she wasn't convinced she was just supposed to be okay with this. "You essentially murdered me...to stick me in the robot you built...and you didn't think for ONE SECOND to see how I felt about it?! What MY thoughts were on the issue? What if this wasn't what I wanted?" she cried, hands gripping at her head. "Was it not, Faye? Did you not want for us to be together?" he countered, one hand steadying her while the other pulled one of her hands from her head. "Well...yes, but..." What was she even trying to argue, here? No, she was not okay with being killed. Yes, she'd wanted it so that they could be together. She was just...she was confused, mentally lost. In an instant, she'd gone from being human to being a machine, and she was expected to be okay with it.

...Huh.

Had William experienced the same when he woke as Springtrap?

Uncertain what else to say, to think, she shut her eyes and lowered her head. WAS she supposed to be okay with this? He had a point; there wasn't another option. Could she stay upset with him? For what he did? She felt him press his head against hers. "Please don't stay angry with me. I did only what was best for us. It was the only way. You know that. As do I. Just...understand that I never meant to hurt you," he tried again.

"You stabbed me," she repeated, partly-opening her eyes. "I wasn't going to lose you, Faye," he growled, tone stern. Was he getting angry? Frustrated? "I've already lost everything else: my wife, my children, my career, my life. Everything. And in their place, I was given you. My daughter wasn't given the friend she needed, but...if I were able to hold onto you for as long as I could, I was going to do everything in my power to do so. So, yes...I did. And for the act itself, I'm sorry. Call me selfish, I don't care. I'm not surrendering you." Faye listened, silently. He sounded insane...but...he also made a lot of sense. Fate had taken so much from him, when all he wanted was to make his family happy. For a time, he'd made HER happy. And although she didn't agree with the method he'd chosen, he'd seen to it that they stayed together. Maybe even to stay happy. Point blank: they couldn't be a couple if one of them was an animatronic, the other a human. They could be, now. But it had ruined Faye's plans. Practically giving in, she slumped against him. "I was supposed to get you OUT. I was supposed to take care of you," she whimpered, trembling upon feeling his arms close around her. "You still can, sweetheart. Just as I will of you, now," he promised, voice softening. "I know it's terrifying. Believe me, I've been there, before. I promise you, I'll do everything I can to help you adjust. You won't have to do it, alone. Not like I had."

She let him speak. She chose to listen. And despite how insane all of this was...it HAD been their only option. He couldn't go back to being human, but...SHE could become an animatronic. He had done it--unwillingly. Elizabeth had done it, becoming Circus Baby. She could, too. And had, whether she wanted to or not. Maybe...it wouldn't be so bad. After all, Springtrap had made it seem easy. "You'll stay with me...?" she muttered, secretly pleased upon feeling him rest his head on hers. "Always," he agreed, finally relaxing when she let her arms wrap around him. After a pause, he asked, "Do you still love me?" He 'smirked' at her metallic giggle. "...Yes. Always," she replied, lifting her head. "And I know you mean that~" he finished, their noses touching in hint of a kiss. The bunny tail she didn't realize she had began to wag. Sirens in the distance interrupted them. Curious, Faye turned from him to the sight of the burning building they'd escaped from. Authorities had finally arrived to extinguish the blaze. "Is the attraction on fire...?!" Her eyes widened, her body reacting faster than her computer brain could as she instantly moved to get up. She was stopped by her male counterpart. "No, let go! My brother needs to know I'm okay," she said, gaze still on the inferno. "Except that you're NOT okay, Faye. You're an animatronic, now," Springtrap reminded her. Spazz...had she forgotten THAT quickly? "They're going to know. They'll find my remains," she stated, body calming. "And you'll get a chance to tell them the truth. Just not now," he reassured, pulling her back in his lap. She hated it, but he was right. Now wasn't a good time to drop the news on her family. Maybe she could still make a call home? "We can't stay here, then. Where else can we go?" she spoke.

Honestly, she was relieved by how confident he sounded.

"Don't worry. I know a place."


	11. Part 11 (Mature Warning)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> PLEASE READ BEFORE PROCEEDING!
> 
> Spring claims he knows a safe place that he and Faye can hide out in, if only temporarily. Along the way to this "shelter", Faye questions him about her new body, and why he'd created it. His explanation leads her to make a tough decision, but soon after, she pushes to contact her family; let them know she was okay. Putting them at ease lets the two animatronics wander Memory Lane around the long-closed Freddy Fazbears', where they find the room in which Springtrap had been sealed. Despite what horrible events had taken place in said room, Spring reminds Faye that something else had come about from what had been his prison...and he decides to "show" her~
> 
> (Basically the two animatronics having sex--through robot means, not human. It's weird, and was weird, typing it. Consider yourselves officially warned, both here and in the Chapter Notes! Read at your own risk!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Mature/Sexual content ahead! Characters involved are 18+. (Seriously, their ages were already established.) READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! If you are not comfortable reading said content, please feel free to skip this section.

"Was this body really not programmed to do anything, specifically?"

"Were you expecting it to be?"

"Considering YOU of all people built it...?"

He chuckled at the flattery. "Alright, I'll admit it. There was a purpose behind its creation--and not just to harbor your soul."

Faye trailed a few steps behind Springtrap, peering up at him rather curiously. "Was there? What was it?" she had to ask. She hadn't asked earlier where it was he was leading her. She'd a sense he wouldn't answer, either way. Currently, all she understood was that dawn was approaching, and they needed to get out of human sight as soon as possible. Standing and walking in her new form took time. She was just glad someone was there to steady her. There would have been many a tumble, otherwise. The two animatronics paused on a hill, trees concealing them from human eyes. Far below them, a chain link fence stood. The border between civilization and the wilderness. Beyond the fence were buildings. Back door views, based on the dumpsters Faye could see. "Faye," Springtrap began, back still turned to her, "do you remember what the hybrid suits were designed to do?"

The female blinked in her confusion, "Um...well, they were built for the dual purpose of both an animatronic and a wearable costume. One mode for performing, the other for interacting with kids. While in animatronic mode, the suits were to stay where kids could see them." To this, her male counterpart nodded, gently. "Exactly the programming that was triggered whenever you played the children's giggles in the attraction. And...it will be the exact programming that's triggered if I go to live with you and your family," he explained. Confusion turned to worry. "You think you'll hurt Reese?" Faye asked, fretting eyes widened. "Not intentionally. But given my recent history with other families' offspring..." Springtrap 'sighed', gaze dropping to a lifted hand. "I fear I won't be able to shake old habits, and more blood will be shed."

"...What did you have done?"

"I built YOU," he stated, finally facing her. "Why kid ourselves, Faye? I'm unstable with violent tendencies. To some degree, even insane. If I were reintroduced to society and those urges return, someone will need the ability to stop me. In building your new body, I made sure you'd be that very person." The mint-colored hare laughed softly at his claim, "ME? Uh...I don't know if you've gotten a good look at me, Spring, but I'm three feet shorter than you and nowhere near as 'bulky'. What do you expect me to do? Cling to your back and nibble at your ears?" His expression turned incredulous, eyes partly closed. "You really do underestimate my designs, don't you?" His body then crouched to her level, hands on his knees. "Allow me to put it into perspective for you: I could slug you with my hardest punch right now, and you wouldn't feel a thing. In fact, I'm confident it wouldn't even leave a dent," he told her, reaching to tap her bow tie. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't impressed. "How do you know that for sure?" she questioned, anyway. His hand shifted to lightly tap the metal of her arm. "Reinforced. Not even a grenade could puncture you," he said. Righting himself, he shifted his arms behind his back, casually stepping around her. "There is also a purpose behind your ears' construction. While they are indeed flexible to an extent, they're solid enough to mimic intentions of a shield. There are thin shock absorbers built within, capable of taking the direct hit of, say, a vehicle. Yet, I made sure to keep everything light-weight to allow you maximum movement."

"...Seriously?" was all she could mutter. How had he managed her a new body AND the machine to put her in it in only a month's time?! Above all, how was he able to design her as such? Had he been taking swings at it during its construction? "Feel free to run out in front of traffic," he spoke in low sarcasm. Without waiting for her reply, he motioned to take hold of one of her hands. "Great defense alone won't be enough to incapacitate me, however. As you mentioned previously, my 'bulky frame' won't allow for me to access the 'small spaces', even for repairs. That is why I kept your design small, so that you could. If you haven't noticed, each of your digits has a small slit in its fingertip. When engaged, they'll produce inch-long claws, sharpened for easy wire-cutting." As he spoke, the hare peered down at the hand he held, eyes slightly narrowing as she attempted to try them out. She felt mechanisms tense. In seconds, thin metal claws were unsheathed, glinting in what light there was. Surprised, Faye felt her body slightly jump.

"Should I succumb to murderous urges again, you'll need to disable me--either targeting my arms or legs. 'Grounding me' will be the quickest way to cease any of my ill-minded intentions. I'm trusting you to do this for me. And for those around me. Your niece, included. Can you do this?"

His counterpart looked back up to him, expression un-easy. "Spring, you're faster than me by a long shot. I'd never be able to catch you."

"Not currently. But while YOUR programming is engaged, you will."

"...What?"

"It's a mode I had installed that you won't be able to trigger, yourself. But if I should happen to 'mentally lose it', and you're nearby, your computer brain is programmed to...essentially 'flip a switch'. Your mechanical body will assume control, and pursue me, if necessary."

Her eyes searched his face for any hint of a lie. But there wasn't a lie to be spoken. "Why would you do all this?" she asked, letting her claws retract as he released her hand. "Hm...it probably has something to do with the fact that I'm condemned to this form for all eternity, and would like to ensure I do not continue what actions landed me in this form to begin with," he returned, tone almost sarcastic. "You wished for me to come stay under your roof--one that also happens to shelter a young girl. For her sake, this duty must fall on your shoulders." Spazz. Either he was getting incredibly serious about this, or he was getting tired of her questions. She felt her hands come together, one sliding over the back of the other. "But...Spring, I don't want to hurt you."

"Faye, if you refuse to do this and I snap, someone may end up, dead. Is that what you want?"

"...No." Her eyes closed, shoulders briefly hunching. "You're not going to hate me for doing this, are you?" A large hand gently lifted her head by her chin. "I'd be forever grateful, if you'd do this for me," he reassured her. He was being honest with her, she knew. However, it wasn't helping the constricting feeling in her chest cavity. "...Okay. I don't want to, but...if it'll keep others safe, and...you happy," she submitted, letting slip a giggle as he then ruffled her hair in play. That settled, he turned to approach the fence, below. As Faye carefully moved to follow, Springtrap took hold of a section of the fence and effortlessly ripped it open. Confirming a spacious hole for them both, he gestured her to enter, first. "This way." Wordlessly, she did as commanded, resorting to following after him as he proceeded. The pair stuck to the backs of the various buildings, their surroundings not yet familiar to Faye. The streets beyond were slowly waking with the slow increase of moving vehicles. People heading to work in the early hours of the morning. As the sun was beginning to brighten the world around them, the two animatronics stopped in the back lot of a particular building--long since closed and boarded up.

Vegetation had already engulfed sections of the exterior, windows covered with wooden planks. Even without the mascot that usually beamed down from above the doors, Faye could tell exactly what this building used to be. "Fazbear's. Heh...I shouldn't be surprised. Looks like they left it to rot after Henry shut it down," she commented, arms crossed. "Hm, that makes two of us," Springtrap muttered, continuing his trek to the building's back door. It was through which the humans had taken him after he'd been found, which meant it could still be their way in. That hope was swiftly dashed upon their discovering the door had been boarded back up. "Guess my boss didn't want others snooping around after he and his group found you," stated Faye, gaze drifting over the barricades. "They really should have left me in the back room. For everyone's sake," growled her male counterpart. Before she could interject, he took to breaking open the sealed entrance. Hesitantly, she stepped in after him, aware he could sense how she felt about his previous words. With a sad chuckle, he turned to look at her with blue eyes. "Don't mind me, sweetheart. I'm just venting." He said little more when she approached to set her palm against his chest. "You worry me, sometimes," she admitted, quietly. Just as silently, the gold rabbit briefly left her to close and block the back door. Faye, meanwhile, continued her curious exploration of the building.

It truly had been abandoned. The hallway they'd entered opened into the kitchen, every pizza pan and pasta dish left to gather dust on the racks. The sinks needed cleaning. Terribly. The floor, broken in places from intruding vegetation. It was dark, save for what light seeped through the boards over the windows. The hare neared the door leading out to the main floor. She remembered William having walked through this door, once. The first time she got to see him on break outside of his SpringBonnie suit, in fact. She also remembered exactly what he was wearing, how it hugged his figure. Her eyes brightened in resemblance to a blush at the memory. A hand pressed against the door, and she walked through. The arcade and playground weren't any better. Most of the gaming machines were gone, the playground equipment soiled with dust and dirt. Looked like squirrels had taken up residence before, judging by the nesting materials. Her head turned to the left, where Pirate Cove and the prize corner used to be. Most of the garbage had been chucked into the Cove, the prize corner bare. She knew Foxy was gone--same as the other animatronics. Her head turned right, she now entering the dining area and main show stage. The curtains to the stage were ripped to pieces, stage lights broken. The dining tables still stood, but the chairs were tossed about, haphazardly. Cups and plates were left where they lay, long-spilled drinks leaving stains on the carpet. Faye looked to the stage, remembering the one time she'd volunteered to "help" SpringBonnie and Fredbear sing one of their well-known songs. William had mumbled sweet nothings to her as the crowd had been busy cheering, afterward. She 'smiled' to herself. Her focus drifted to the front doors, to the front desk. The first time she'd met William out of his costume. She'd given him her number, that day.

Her walk continued by the main dining tables---and she stopped abruptly at the sight of two purple tables. Their cloths were deteriorating, the rope barrier around them gone. The Party Tables. She felt her chest tighten, somehow. Her body practically moved on its own to one of the two tables, the hare extending a hand to lay it on the table's surface. The memory came back to her: she was sitting, Reese in a chair on her left. There was a sound on her right; she looked. He was standing there, human eyes peering down at her. Familiar sounds from behind snapped her from memory, she turning to find Springtrap nearing her, his eyes still blue. "Right here," she began, that same hand patting the table. "We first met, right here. Shortly before Reese's belated party." She lightly shook her head at the memory. "Reese was so excited to see you, that day." There was a faint laugh. "Tugged at my heartstrings to see you both play, together. She adored you, you know." Her larger counterpart said nothing in return, instead moving to bring her into embrace. "I won't hurt her, Faye," he promised. "I saw to it you would make certain of that." Only when he felt she was consoled did he let go of her. "Spring? Do you think the building would still have a power source?" she then asked.

"Hm...I would think they'd have switched the breakers off, but they're easily turned back on," he answered, peering around the deserted room. "Why?"

"I need to use the phone, if this location has one."

He gave her a puzzled look.

"I need to call my brother," she told him, hands nervously clasped together. "PLEASE."

Of course she did. Unlikely that her family knew she was dead. He hated to say it, but they deserved to know. He just didn't WANT them to. "If you must. But don't tell them too much," he glared in warning. At her nod, he motioned passed her to the halls. "It's in the guard's office."

********************************************

Last night had been a sleepless one.

All due to the phone call they'd received about how Fazbear's Fright had burned down. Faye's manager had been the one to call them, admitting to them that he wasn't sure if Faye had left before the fire or not. He had tried calling her cellphone, but got no response. As soon as that call had ended, Mitch immediately dialed his sister's number. It eventually rolled to voice mail. He dialed again. And again. But not once did he hear his sister's voice. Worry kept him up, the rest of the night. Rune and Reese eventually joined him, both wondering where the young aunt was. The father and husband mentioned the fire, but reassured them this didn't mean Faye had been...that she was...

She had to be alive.

There had to be a chance she'd made it out, but dropped her phone in the process. Yeah. That was more probable, right? As her brother, he wouldn't believe anything else. She WAS alive and okay. Somewhere. She had to be.

As the family fretted over the worse-case scenario, Marionette resorted to remaining on the stairs to the second floor, long fingers gripping the rail. At the moment, his eye-lights were extinguished. He knew something was to go horribly wrong--yet did little to try and stop Faye from leaving the house. He should have intercepted; forced her not to climb into the car. Instead, he chose to trust her word. And now, there was a fire? Convenient, considering his deceased father was presumably housed in that very attraction. The puppet secretly prayed his father was the only casualty, and that Faye had successfully escaped. That would have been the best-case scenario. Still, it was disconcerting that the aunt hadn't called to reassure everyone that she was, in fact, unharmed. If not for the presence of authority swarming the location, he would have gone ahead and scouted the building, himself. Faye had experienced too much, survived what others had not, in the time frame she'd spent working for Fazbear Entertainment. She was a good soul; she didn't deserve what his father did. Yet...he hadn't done enough to protect her, he felt. His father was involved with this, somehow. He always was.

Just as Reese had begun to sob, the phone rang again. With his wife consoling their daughter, Mitch struggled to hold himself together, picking up the phone.

"Wilson residence."

"...Mitch?" It was his sister's voice.

The man gasped, almost dropping the phone. "F-Faye?" he slowly grinned, tears threatening to fall. He felt his body beginning to shake, but was somehow able to continue standing.

"...Mm...yeah. It's me," her voice replied, also sounding on the verge of breaking down. Mitch thanked the heavens above, remembering his sister was still on the phone, "We were told the building burned; it caught fire." His wife and child looked on, hopeful. "It...yeah, it did. I dunno how, though. Um...b-but I'm okay. Maybe a little burned, but...still kicking," Faye confirmed, easing her brother's nerves. "Heavens, I'm so relieved you're okay. W-where are you, right now? I-I'll come pick you up," Mitch offered, instantly eager to dash out the door. There was a short silence on the other end. "Mm...I don't...um...I don't think that's a good idea, right now," she confessed.

"...What?"

"Um, it's...not that I wouldn't have you come. I just...a lot's happened tonight, and...I'm too rattled, right now. I just need some time...to calm myself, pull myself back together."

"Faye, come on. I can get in the truck right now, and come get you. Really."

"Heh...I-I know you can. But I don't think I can face the family, right now. I need some time to...figure this out. At least a day, if nothing else."

"Faye, you don't--"

"Please, brother. I need this. Just...give me a day. Time to sort this mess out. I'm nearby; not far, at all. And for now, I have a place to stay. Recover. I'll be fine. Just...please."

Speechless, Mitch glanced to his family. Reese still stood nearby with a Freddy plush in her arms, eyes red from tears. With her was Rune, long red hair a mess from sleep. She looked tired, but relieved by the assumption Faye was unharmed. "...O-okay, squirt. Whatever you need to do. Look, are you sure I can't bring you anything? At least come see you?" he agreed. "No...not yet, anyway. Um...don't contact the police, or anything. Let my boss know I'm alright. I'd, uh...heh, I'd call him myself, but I don't have my phone on me," she responded.

"Using a local phone?"

"Yeah. Had to. Um...I can't stay on the line long, so...I guess I'll call you when I'm able, let you know where to meet me. Just wanted to let you all know I'm okay."

"And thank you for doing so; we were so worried!"

"I know. Hm...could you give everyone a hug for me? Let them know I love 'em, and...will see them tomorrow?"

"Absolutely, squirt. Whatever you want. Y-you get some rest, and call us tomorrow. We'll come meet you, ASAP."

"...Thank you, Mitch. I'm sorry for worrying you."

"No, no, don't worry about apologizing. You did nothing wrong."

"...Yeah. Um...I hope you're not mad; I took your car. It's probably still in the parking lot."

"I'll worry about that, later. Just as long as you're safe. Your big brother will take care of everything, okay? Now, go get some rest. W-we'll see you again, tomorrow."

"Okay...love you guys."

"We love you too, squirt. See you." Mitch hated to hang up, but he did so with a relieved smile. "She's okay," he told the family, somewhat laughing as his wife and daughter hurried to hug him. This was good news, indeed! However, the slim figure on the stairs didn't believe so. If she were truly "okay", then why was she refusing to come home? Had something happened to discourage her? Had the fire really been an accident? Marionette wished then he could leave the house, go explore the remnants, himself. If he were lucky, he'd find his father's metallic corpse among the rubble. He just better not be the cause behind the inferno...! Still, unaware of Faye's whereabouts, there was little he or the family could do in terms of locating her. She would just have to tell them when she was ready, since she didn't want the authorities involved. Marionette felt his body relax. At least for now, Faye was alive. The family could rest easy.

Good, because Reese had school, today.

************************************************

The phone gently clacked as Faye set it back down. That had been harder than she anticipated. Of course her family would want to come find her; why wouldn't they? They were just informed of the fire, instantly instilling fear that their family member had been caught up in the blaze. Part of that was true; her human body was still there. She shuddered to think what they would say once the authorities identified her remains. But, she did as her counterpart wished, and hadn't told them what they didn't need to know. Not yet. Her head lifted, letting her take in the still-dark office. The lights in here were off, the computer switched on to display a blue screen. Start-up mode hadn't been activated. The room itself was nearly as empty as the rest of the building. Surprising that it still had available power after all these years. Satisfied with her completed task, Faye turned to leave the office, finding Springtrap at rest against the wall just outside the doorway. "My brother shouldn't come breaking down doors, any time soon," she told him. "No human hounds on our tails, hm? Good. Granted us a little peace and quiet. Heh, at least until they uncover your remains, that is," he replied. "So...what, now?" she wondered, stepping out into the hall.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we can't leave until dark. Can't go anywhere. What are we to do before the family finds out?"

"...Haven't thought that far ahead, to be honest. Unless you'd rather continue wandering Memory Lane?"

Her eyes expressed some happiness as she moved to continue down the halls. A part of her DID long to explore the past--especially since her last visit was over three years ago. With some lights illuminating the halls, she got a better look at the children's drawings still taped to the walls. Some of them depicted the yellow rabbit she'd grown fond of. She had to wonder if Reese's pictures were still hanging, somewhere.

Faye passed the restrooms, noticing the ceiling within them had collapsed, pieces of it blocking the doorways. No reason to go in, anyway. On she walked instead, passing supply closets and the night guard's office. It didn't take her long to come across the one room she despised, most. Her form hesitated just outside its entrance, gaze on the broken pieces of what used to be a false wall. Despite the smile stuck on her muzzle, Faye partly closed her eyes in sorrow. Slowly, she entered the dark room, finding that dim light to illuminate it. There were mixed feelings about what she saw. The room's contents were thrown about, knocked over. No doubt from the combination of the scuffle that took place here between William and the puppet, and from when William first woke as Springtrap, sealed away in this room. In one corner of the room, Faye could make out dark stains. Remnants of blood. William's blood. The memory came back to her upon seeing it: he was collapsed against the wall, body shaking as it bled out. She heard herself crying out, wanting to stop it. Prevent it from happening. But she'd felt a hand hold her back. It needed to be this way.

And then...she ran away. Left him. And for it, she felt guilty. How could she have--?! She snapped to, hearing the larger rabbit follow her in. He emitted some form of 'sigh', knowing what this room was. What it had been. "To be frank, I was hoping you'd skip this room," he told her. "A part of me wishes I had," she replied, gaze still not moving from the stained floor. Neither spoke for another few minutes. Then Faye gestured to the spot before her. "I'd lost you, here. And I ran away...practically abandoning you. I was just...I thought I'd lost something I was never getting back--and it killed me, inside. I didn't know what else to do. So I ended up leaving you to die, be covered up and swept under the company's rug. For years after, I'd regret it. I'd keep my heart locked away, never to be given away, again. Spazz...I was miserable, Spring."

"Well...then that made two of us," he spoke, approaching to set a hand along her side. "But I never blamed you, Faye. All of it was my fault, not yours. Instead of facing my fears, my past, I chose to run and hide from them. And for that, I'm stuck like this." He motioned to himself. "I also have to live with the decision I made to make you the same way. Even if...I know you aren't going to despise me for doing so."

"How could I?" she asked, facing him. "Had you not, we wouldn't be together. Ever. Granted, I never agreed to being murdered and forced into a mechanical body, but...as we were, we could never BE a couple. I know that, now." She glanced about the room, once more. "Too much has happened in here for me to take pleasure in standing here in it. To think...you were stuck in here for years. Alone. Whereas I could only wonder if you were okay in the afterlife. Never did I think you were still trapped, here. Had I known--" She was silenced by a gentle hand held against the left side of her face. "Don't talk like that. It was never your responsibility to clean up the messes I've made," he lightly 'scolded'. "Rather...it may have been for the best that you never knew. But Fate eventually let you, and here we are, now. There is no changing it, so nevermind stressing about it." His gaze temporarily scanned the room, falling back on her. "Besides...there WAS some good to come out of this space."

"Was there?"

"Come on, you remember."

"Remember what?"

Springtrap faintly chuckled, his tone growing warm. "There was something else we did in this room. You remember; I know you do~"

Something else? It took her a moment to recall, but...once she did, she couldn't stop the glow of her eyes. "Spring..." she began, unable to keep the smile out of her voice. "Ah, come on. You know exactly what I'm talking about, don't you?~" he continued, holding her in place by setting both hands on either side of her face. She 'groaned' in false protest, light-blue eyes looking anywhere but at him. Of course she remembered! Her eyes closed, she deciding to let that memory fill the darkness that followed. The lights had been turned off, the door closed and locked. She recalled her back against the wall, a pair of hands holding her up off the floor. She had only just pulled the rabbit mask from his head, when he'd begun planting kisses along her neck. Her hands only got as far as to loosen his torso piece, when she was suddenly moved from the wall to the table in the room's center. From there, he'd claimed control. And spazz; was he good at it!~ Faye didn't dwell far into the memory, eyes partly opening with their telltale glow. Unaware, she didn't know her tail had begun wagging. Her gaze lifted, but quickly dropped, a mechanical giggle slipping from her while she attempted to hide her face in his hand. "You see? You remember~" he teased, hands lowering to her upper arms. "Mm...I never could forget~" she responded, demeanor shy. "My best dreams were often about that moment. I used to wake up and cry, knowing it wasn't real."

Oh, did she? Well, that was something he hadn't known about her, before. And it was true that they could never again have what they once did. But...maybe now...they could have something like it? His ears perked at her motion of running a hand down his chest, fingers barely snagging the holes in his torso. Hm...well, this certainly gave him ideas~ "You know, sweetheart...it doesn't have to stop at a memory. What we had before, we can only improve~" he said, fingertips barely drumming against her hips. Both of her ears faintly twitched as she glanced up at him. "What do you mean, 'improve'?" She watched him walk by her, near the over-turned table and lift the heavy object back on its four feet. After inspecting it for damages, since it HAD been thrown about in recent events, he paused, letting his hands come to rest on its surface. His head lowered, a few low chuckles fleeing him. There was something familiar about their tone that sent jolts throughout the hare's endoskeleton. Ohh, this feeling was familiar, indeed~ "I've waited three years for this moment," Springtrap admitted, an eerie sense in the way he turned around. "Dreamed about it, even in my waking hours. But...why not have a little fun, first? It's been so long since the last time~" Blue eyes turned purple, and Faye instantly knew what he meant.

Hunter and Prey. Just as they'd always been.

She cast him a teasingly-daring look, bolting out through the busted doorway at his first step. Springtrap could only chuckle to himself. Such a foolish little hare! This was all his territory; there was nowhere she could hide that he wouldn't find her. Nonetheless, he permitted her a head-start. It would only last mere seconds before he, too, was out prowling the halls. Their impromptu game of Hide and Seek would last a few hours, all during which Faye was successful in staying out of sight--and arm's reach. The mint-colored hare would only move the moment her golden counterpart left the room. Within closets, around the playground, ducking out of sight behind the front counter in the nick of time. She avoided the kitchen, knowing well that it was essentially a 'dead end'. He'd seen her there once, she just barely able to avoid his grasp. Not a 'mistake' she would repeat. Unfortunately, the former pizzeria was only so big; hiding places were growing scarce. Only a couple hours in, and Faye already found herself hiding under one of the dining tables. A last-ditch effort to hide, since she hadn't the time to flee the room before HE walked in. Pinned on her belly, Faye silently watched the other rabbit wander the dining room. His stance was predatory, intense. Sensible, what with him currently "hunting" her. She grew worried he'd find her as he started lifting the tables, tossing them aside. That "fear" eased off when he decided against lifting any more, choosing instead to walk between the rows. Although knowing breathing wasn't a necessity anymore, Faye covered her muzzle with both hands. Paws? Whatever they were, now. Her body bunched itself up as best it could with the other rabbit's approach, she only able to see his lower legs and feet. His steps were slow, considerate. Almost as if he were taking the time to think, predict. As he drew closer, Faye found it unbearable to sit still. Silently, she moved up onto all fours, practically bunny-hopping away as quietly as she could when he'd reached her side of the table. He froze. She did, too. The table was suddenly tossed aside from above, startling the retreating hare--whom bundled up again on the floor.

She peered up in time to see him approach her, she only having the time to sit up and hold out her palms, "defensively". With a playful growl, Springtrap gathered the smaller bunny in one arm, setting her over his shoulder. She did little to "fight back", occupied with a short fit of laughter. Back to the safe room, he carried her. All the while, Faye tried to distract herself with the drawings on the walls. No...still no sign of Reese's. She felt her soul pulse in realizing they'd stepped back through the broken doorway. A few more steps brought them to the table, where he attempted to lay her down. "Attempted". Because she chose to playfully cling to him, instead. "No," she 'protested', containing further giggles in feeling him begin to 'pry' her off. "No. No, no! NO!" She laughed again as he pinned her to the table, hands gripping her wrists. "Yes~" he teasingly growled back, closing the distance between them to brush noses with her. Again, the closest to a kiss they would ever get. It did the job, though, as Faye indulged in the warmth it sent through her. One question lingered in the back of her computer brain, though. "Wait, wait," she said, convincing him to back up a few inches. "Uh...how are we to even...when we're not...human, anymore? Neither of us have...uh...well, look at us," she spoke, praying he'd get the gist of her question. To that, he only chuckled, meeting her gaze with purple eyes. "How else? Use your imagination, sweetheart~" he instructed, a hand releasing her wrist to slide up her arm and come to settle its fingers against the cables trailing up her neck into her head. The way he gently pressed in on them mimicked the action of gentle "scratching".

Which...felt rather pleasant.

He only proceeded when she emitted a hum of content, her body easing under him. His hand then trailed down, fingers hooking the collar of her front torso piece. He looked to her again for her consent. Then, with an abrupt tug, he popped her chest piece free. Four small cords were disconnected from the light panels in said chest piece, which was then carefully set aside. Releasing her other wrist, Springtrap moved to gently lift her by her lower back, removing her back piece and setting it aside, as well. The room felt warm rather quickly, more-so because the cold air produced by her cooling units was no longer contained by her torso plates. Just as gently, he set her back down on the table, both hands lowered to grip her by her waist and pull her closer to him. Despite them no longer...well..."having anything, down below", having him THIS close hadn't failed to light up her "blush", once more. Coming to terms with the fact that he was between her legs, Faye mentally urged herself to stay calm. He wasn't going to hurt her. Unintentionally, anyway. Both of her arms rose to let clasped hands rest against her chest. "Use your imagination"? How did he expect her to do that? She watched as one of his large hands lifted from her waist piece to the cords extending up and down her stomach, then--

OH, SWEET HEAVENS!

Her own fingers gripped at the cords covering her ribs, her body arching into his touch at the sensation she felt. He hadn't done anything more than run his hand up and down her exposed cables, but SPAZZ! It felt...WONDERFUL~ What made it even better was...she could actually FEEL it. And it didn't take her long to piece it together. Her exterior pieces essentially acted as armor, while the cords and cables they protected acted as her "skin". Why they felt so sensitive, she didn't know. But for now, that was furthest from her mind. She returned her attention to him at his chuckle, the larger rabbit leaning over her. "Are we on the same page now, dearest?~" Springtrap somewhat growled. Under him, the hare "panted", her fingers slowly letting go of her cords. A few blinks followed, then she partly shut her eyes. "Oh, ARE we~" she hummed back. NOW she knew how to play his game~ A hand was extended to him, which he pressed his head against. A part of her truly wished she still retained feeling in her hands, remembering how soft his short, fuzzy "fur" was. When he'd enough of her gentle caressing, he neared her for another "kiss". This time, her hands settled on either side of his face, her body tensing as she felt his hands dig their fingers into her cables. It was quickly growing difficult to hold in her noises of pleasure, she giving up on their "kiss" to bury her face in his shoulder. He hadn't taken it personally, opting to lower his muzzle to the cords along her neck. Dull teeth closed around said cords, for now only gently biting down. This, combined with his wandering fingers, eventually had Faye clinging to him, fully enjoying the small tingles and warmth it was spreading through her artificial body. Although she would have loved for it to continue until dusk, her male counterpart soon grew tired of the "foreplay". He set her back down on the table, casting her a loving gaze before pinning down her arms, once again. Before she could ask, she watched him lower his jaws to her exposed torso, closing them around multiple cables. His biting grew a bit rough, pushing against Faye's boundaries of pleasure. Restrained to an extent, she couldn't move much, trying to cope with the borderline pleasure/pain she was beginning to feel, while at the same time trying NOT to move so much that he'd stop.

Gradually, his loving growls began to escalate. Growing louder, more...animalistic. His eyes remained purple though, so she didn't see reason to worry. Yet. His trail of bites traveled up and down her front, then to both of her sides. Oh, THIS felt familiar. She remembered, now. His grip on her wrists tightened, pressed down harder. Oh, she DEFINITELY remembered. The heat she felt passing through her was as equally cooled by her cooling units as it was warming her internal frame. Pleasure began to overpower pain, sounds to prove so already beginning to seep out of the smaller rabbit. Sounds she couldn't hold in, any longer. They only seemed to egg him on, encourage him to do "worse". They had only done this one other time, but if he flipped her over... She held back a cry as her wrists were freed, only to let him hold her by her waist and flip her onto her stomach. She knew it was coming, and yet still hadn't the chance to brace herself. The hare was quickly pulled backwards, strong hands pinning her lower body against his. She'd only seconds to mentally prepare herself--before teeth began to bite down on the cables running the length of her back. Still "riled up" from the foreplay, the smaller hare could hold back her cries, no longer. Her small muzzle opened, screeches piercing the air. They weren't as she remembered, now metallic and beastly. Like an animal being overpowered. Just as he wanted~

Oh, yes. Those were the screams he'd wanted to hear~ He held her still, indulging in her screeches as she pointlessly clawed at the table's surface. If what she recalled were true, she expected him to wait until her cries were dying down before he'd...well, "begin the show". However, he didn't have what he used to, when he was human. Neither did she. So...how was HE going to--? Her body soon slacked in his hold, the pain reverting to pleasure, and therefore dropping her screams for mere moans. She felt pressure on her back, a weight pinning her to the table. He'd done this, before. Likely going to mutter something in her ear. Something she'd instantly fall in love with. She sensed his mouth beside her left ear. "You're mine. Mine...for all eternity~" he lowly muttered. She 'smiled' to herself. That was even better than the words he'd spoken, last time~ And during their last time, she'd acknowledged his words with a kiss. Her head turned, nearing him briefly to brush noses with him. Last time, he engaged the "main event", right after. But...seeing as though he lacked what he used to have, she still had to wonder...how was this going to work? The pressure on her back eased, and she heard something pop. Like a release for a hatch. Slowly, she turned her head to look over her left shoulder. His torso hatch had been opened, the hand that wasn't holding her in place then digging inside for...something. It wasn't long before he withdrew a few of his own cables.

Oh.

Her eyes widened.

OH.

Dropping his cords, momentarily letting them hang, he reached to press a hand along her abdominal cords. She couldn't see it, but she felt his fingers work themselves down into her pelvic section. Metal fingers gripped one of her plugged cables, giving it a testing twist before pulling it out. She quickly lost connection to her legs, glad that he was helping to keep her standing. Another cord was pulled from its socket, pressure once again pinning her in place on the table. The one hand that wasn't supporting her reached to gather up his hanging cords. She couldn't see what happened next. But she could feel it. His fingers brushed her cables, then...she instantly screamed. Cords that weren't her own were plugged into her ports, foreign electricity pouring into her as hers flowed into him. It...it HURT. Essentially just like being electrocuted, just without the mercy of death. She hadn't expected this to feel good, since this WAS live voltage they were messing with. Behind her, Springtrap lowly growled, bracing himself the best he could. Although, not without the occasional curse word or two. The pain, thankfully, was quick, letting the two recover before the second cord was plugged in. The second time wasn't as bad, at the very most instigating some moans. Their bodies soon adjusted, reminiscent of their "first time". Only this time...something was different--and not just that they were playing with cables and ports. Faye actually...FELT his emotions. His pain, his pleasure. His love, his suffering. His sorrow. Everything he'd been carting around in his power core of a "heart"...she could now feel. And now, he could with all of her emotions, as well. Currently, his greatest emotion was regret. Hers? Loss. For once, Faye truly knew just how much he regretted all of his past actions. No number of apologies would take all that away. In Faye's case, Springtrap could sense how much she'd missed him, how much she'd missed his presence. Heh...even in knowing how twisted he was? She still MISSED him? He couldn't help but 'grin' to himself. Maybe she WAS as insane as he was.

"...I'm sorry," Faye mumbled, hands in fists against the table. "As am I," he replied, refusing to let them separate. A hand took hold of one of his cables, he giving it a testing twist. She whimpered under him. "I love you~" he softly growled, quickly tugging free and plugging back in said cord. She emitted a cry, but this time in pleasure, not pain. "I...love you, too," she got out, just before she was pinned again for him to repeat his "action". Over and over again. There was no further pain; just the sense of one another, of their bodies gradually warming. Too occupied with each other, neither realized they were, in fact, exchanging soul energy. Hence, it was easily missed when their respective soul colors briefly flashed in one another's glowing eyes. As much as she was enjoying it, Faye didn't want Spring to have all the fun. Before her body's systems reached their peak, she shot a hand down to shove his aside, quickly assuming control of his intruding cables. He did not object, resorting to holding tightly onto her hips. Because her hands were smaller than his and lined with rubber, she was able to replicate his motions twice as quickly. A good thing, as her doing so soon enough dragged the larger rabbit back into a beastly mindset. With a snarl, he separated from her long enough to turn her around and press her down on the table. Slipping back between her legs, he unknowingly mimicked his human self's "natural movements".

Which Faye soon caught onto--and avoided giggling at. Well, he WAS still a human soul in a robot body, after all. There was no mockery, for as soon as he lowered his head again to chomp down on her abdominal cables, Faye felt a strong surge shoot through her, practically immobilizing her body. Her vision temporarily blacked out, inner cameras briefly powering down. At the same time, the rabbit over her pulled away with parted jaws.

And ROARED.

To this, she was unable to react, her body still momentarily paralyzed. What had happened? She blinked, her ocular cameras finally rebooting. Wait...had they just...?! Regaining her vision, she looked to the rabbit still hovering over her. "Spring?" Well, she still had her vocal ability. Shaking arms helped to lift her from off the table. "Springtrap? You okay?" she tried again. He "panted" silently, eyes closed as he tried to recover. They opened--a rich blue--when he felt her hand against his face. "What...what happened?" she asked him. To her question, he softly laughed. "I take it that was your first overload, was it?~" he teased. "Overload?" she repeated, unfamiliar with the term. "It's the animatronic version of an orgasm, sweetheart. Considering we don't have mortal bodies, anymore..." he explained, regaining enough strength to lift her from the table and switch places, setting her in his lap. "It is?" She paused. "Wait--how would YOU know that?"

"If you have to ask, I'm not going to say."

She could only assume what THAT meant.

"Anyway...I...er, hope I haven't hurt you, too badly," he went on, wanting to change the subject. "Hurt...me? Uh...currently, I can't feel much," she admitted, fully regaining control of her arms. "Heh. Undergoing a Reboot. Don't worry, it won't take long," he promised. She believed him, considering he was somehow the "expert". "So...do you think you'll be able to handle THAT in the future?" he wondered. Granted, it had been more intense than their first time had been. Even so for him, but...there had been a certain thrill about it that he hadn't experienced, the first time. The hare in his arms lightly giggled, "That...was grid-frying, honey-bunny~" Easing into his hold, she added under her 'breath', "Exquisite~" He'd heard that, acknowledging it with a teasing growl. He was rather pleased. Shame that she wasn't. Something ate at her. "You still regret, don't you?" she asked him. His expression turned confused, "Regret what, dearest?"

"Everything. The murders, having caused your daughter's death, accidentally. Your family leaving you behind..."

"Of course I regret all of that; we don't have to dig it all back up."

"...How did the attraction catch fire?"

"...What?"

"When I woke, we were outside. The building was burning."

Oh. That's right; she wasn't conscious. He could lie. Tell her something shorted out, sparked. But...he'd a feeling she wouldn't believe it. After what they had just done, they needed to trust one another. No lies. "...Do you recall a young man by the name of Mike?" he asked her. "Mike Schmidt? Yes. He'd come by the attraction, once," she answered. He 'sighed'. "As it turns out, 'Mike' is actually my eldest son, Michael. He'd returned last night from supposedly...having freed Elizabeth and the lost souls. I was to be his next target. To end the madness, and leave me to my judgement. He caught sight of you, tried to stop the process of putting you in your new body. Luckily, he hadn't succeeded, or you'd be just another spirit haunting me. He escaped, though, and set the building aflame to try and end the both of us," Springtrap explained, still noting the slight 'burns' the two of them had. "But you got us out," she finished. "Obviously. But...now I fear he'll be lingering, close by. Looking to see if he really has done in Dear Ol' Dad." Hm. That was worrisome. What if Michael found them HERE? "What are we to do, then? I don't want to risk him finding you and Cassidy at our house. We could never live in peace," she brought up. She had a point: Michael was searching for his younger brother, too. Even if he and his youngest son were to make peace, his eldest son would never give up, hunting them. "I suppose I still have a loose end to tie up," Springtrap decided, though did not sound happy about it.

"You're going to confront your son?"

"It may come to that, yes."

"...I don't like that option. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you, again."

"Trust me, you never will. I'll be sure of that. But so long as he believes I'm a threat to humanity, he's going to hunt me down."

"But...you aren't, anymore. Right?"

"Well, that's why I built you, Faye. You're my reassurance that I won't resume old habits."

"Then...why don't we just convince him that I could fill that role? Maybe we could resolve this, peacefully?"

His eyes partly closed. "You DO realize what that means, don't you?"

"...We would have to go find him."

"Right. And there are only a few places he could retreat: here at Fazbear's, and home."

"Home? Spazz, I don't even know where he lives. I suppose my boss would--"

"No, dearest," he cut in, lightly shaking his head. "Home. As in, our home. The one place we both shared, he and I."

"...Your old residence? You think he'll be there?"

"Well, he hasn't made it here, yet. And he'll need to have fled somewhere. No one can consider him a suspect if they aren't able to find him."

Faye silently thought to herself. She'd missed out on their conversation, but...if what he claimed were true, then there was no way they could live a peaceful life, together. She wouldn't get the chance to help the golden bunny reform himself. They would have to meet Michael, try to convince him to let his father be. "Could we go?" she then asked, gaze hopeful. "What, to my former residence? Faye, do understand, you don't have to get involved," Springtrap addressed, knowing that's what she wanted. "I know I don't. Family-business, I know. But if he won't listen to you, then...maybe he'll listen to me? I at least have to try," she urged, secretly not wanting him to go, alone. Hm...perhaps letting her tag along wouldn't be a bad idea? Michael had no "beef" with her, so it was more likely he'd take her word versus his father's. Although he didn't want to, Springtrap gave in.

"Very well. We'll leave at dusk."


	12. Part 12

A sharpened pencil was quietly, impatiently, tapped against the opened math book. The dark-haired girl holding it couldn't get her eyes off the clock above the classroom door. 20 minutes until class let out. She was eager to go NOW. Fighting a sigh, she turned her blue eyes to the paper on the desk before her. Two more equations to solve.

She was antsy because of last night's late calls. In the early hours of the morning, she woke to hear her father's voice, downstairs. Curious, she got up, waking "Emmy" in the process. They snuck from her bedroom, down the stairs, pausing midway down to peer into the living room. Her parents were both there, her dad having remembered to put on a shirt, her mother wearing a robe from her native country. Her father spoke worriedly into the phone--immediate questions revolving around his sister, Faye. Something had happened to Auntie Faye? Was she okay? Her original intent was to stay quiet, but that was scrapped when mentions of her aunt came into play. She hadn't come home, like she said she would. Shame she didn't; her "favorite little niece" was hoping to share her Halloween candy with her after dinner. They'd gone to bed without hearing from her, and...now this.

It was a relief to finally hear back from said aunt. She was okay! So...why didn't she come home? And if the haunted attraction burned, then...what happened to SpringBonnie? Was he gone? Reese wished she knew. Not knowing was the WORST. She looked up from her paper again. Ten minutes until class let out. One more equation to solve. Adjusting her glasses, she hunkered down to try and finish this problem. Maybe when she got home, they would know something more about Auntie Faye. Maybe she'd called? UGH--she couldn't figure up the answer. It was either 5 or 7...

Reese jumped slightly at the sound of the final bell, she rushing to write down an answer before her paper was due. 50/50 shot, right? Like her classmates, she chucked everything into her bag and zipped it closed, hurrying to the front of the class to hand in her work. The teacher thanked each of them, bidding them a good day as they ran for the door. Reese normally wasn't one of those who darted from class as if avoiding death, but...this time was different. She had to get home, see if anyone had heard back from Auntie Faye. Unfortunately for her, she took the bus back from school. Standing outside, the girl bounced eagerly in place, looking for her bus. Bus 4...Bus 4...where was--there! Off she ran, jogging up the steps and into the first available seat. She opened a pocket in her backpack to withdraw her phone. Impatiently waiting for it to turn on, she checked her messages. Nothing. The message box was empty. Sighing, she tucked her phone away and settled back in her seat. "Hope Auntie's okay..." she muttered, now having to wait for the buses to fill and drive off.

The ride was just as "painstaking". Every street, they had to stop, let a kid or two off. Usually not a problem, no. But this time, family was concerned. And the bus was taking far too long to drop everyone off. A street away from home, Reese decided she'd waited long enough, climbing off the bus with its next stop. Feet on the ground, she ran off toward home. The front yard soon came into view. Her father's truck was gone, but her mother's car was parked in the driveway. She didn't bother with her key, instead skidding to a stop to knock on the door. Her mother soon answered. "Reese, hun...you know you 'ave a key, right?" she spoke, moving aside as her daughter rushed in with a quick greeting. "Have you heard from Auntie Faye?" was her immediate question. Sadly, her mother shook her head, silent as she closed the door. "'M afraid not. Your father's gone in to work; says he'll be leavin' early the moment your aunt calls. In the meanwhile, we're to wait; see about getting dinner ready, any homework done." Seriously? They were to just act as though everything was okay? Her aunt was missing! Surely there was something more they could be doing! A disappointed Reese sulked up the stairs to her room, where Marionette was waiting. Sitting on the chest he "slept" in, he looked up to give her a happy wave, previously occupied in playing with her Fazbear plushies.

"I don't suppose you'd heard anything from Auntie?" Reese muttered, dropping her bag by her door. Sadness crawled back into the puppet's demeanor, and he shamefully hung his head. No, he hadn't. "Mum hasn't, either. Dad's supposed to be getting off work early, if she calls. Hope she already has," she sighed, plopping down in a chair by her desk. She removed her glasses briefly to rub her face, fighting frustration and tears. "What if she's hurt? Or stuck somewhere, and can't get out? Or, or...what if someone's taken her? That can happen, right?" Her best friend couldn't verbally respond. "Well...I don't think I can sit here and wait, forever. Something's wrong, I just know it! You know...maybe WE need to go look for her. She'd called from somewhere in town, right? So she's still around. Maybe in a hotel, or something." She glanced to the puppet from where she sat. "The haunted house is gone, so she couldn't be there. Emmy? Would you know of any place we could go check? She could be there, wherever you think she could be." He honestly wasn't sure. Although, he had a few guesses. Despite what little time he'd spent lurking about the town at night in his hunt for his father the first time, he hadn't gotten a chance to fully explore his new hometown, here in Utah. Based on what knowledge he DID possess, however, there were only a couple of places he could think to cross off the list. It was just...how were they to do so? What, was he to expect THEM to head out and search?

"It might have to be the two of us, Emmy. We can't sit around, forever. Auntie might need us, NOW. If we leave now, we can check around town for any sign of her," the child began, getting up to pack a bag for their "rescue attempt". The puppet rose too--but to stop her actions. "Emmy, what are you doing? We've gotta go look for Auntie Faye," Reese protested, expression faintly annoyed. A hand gripping firmly to her bag, the puppet met her gaze, his free hand lifting to motion at himself. He then pointed outside her window, shaking his head. "...You're right; you can't be seen by anyone. What are we going to do, then? Wait until dark?" A jingle accompanied his following nod. If they waited until nightfall, visibility would drop--allowing them to sneak out without being seen. She would just have to pack a flashlight. "Okay," Reese reluctantly gave in. "I guess we'll have to wait until it gets dark, out. Maybe Dad'll have found Auntie, by then?" Her eyes lowered to her bag, open and halfway packed with gloves and one of her aunt's jackets. She'd borrowed it for Halloween, and hadn't yet gotten the chance to return it. "Still...we better have a bag packed up. Just in case." She resumed stuffing a flashlight and extra batteries inside, stashing granola bars leftover from lunch. Her mother's idea. She didn't have the heart to tell her she hated raisins, so just left them, untouched. Her aunt might be hungry, anyway. From her school bag, she also ripped out a map of the town--just so they'd keep track of where they'd been. A pen was stashed along with it. "Just need some water bottles and first-aid stuff, and we'll be ready to go," she confirmed, zipping her bag closed.

She appeared confident. Great, because he certainly didn't feel the same way. After all, she was talking about going to find her missing aunt, which also meant potentially encountering his father. He wasn't fully sure why, but he had a feeling his father played a card in this, and he couldn't shake it. If Reese believed the two of them could do this, though, he was willing to give it a shot. For the time being, he held onto the hope that Faye would be found unharmed--and that they'd find his father a crumbling pile of metal.

******************************************

Mitch hadn't found Faye, nor had he gotten a call from her. As soon as he walked in through the door, he was bombarded with questions from his daughter. Sadly, he hadn't an answer for any of them. Over dinner, the family discussed their next move. Faye had asked for them not to get the authorities involved, and she hadn't sounded as though she were in danger. It didn't explain why she hadn't come home, still. "We'll give her one more day. If she doesn't call by time I get off work, I'm going to look for her, this weekend," the man of the house decided. It was the best they could do, for now. Their next step would be to file a missing person's report. Reese didn't want to wait another day. She wanted her aunt found NOW. So, not long after dinner, she told her parents she was going to bed early, claiming she wasn't feeling well. They offered medicine and sitting by her bed until she slept, but she kindly turned said offers down. For twenty minutes, she waited in bed, giving her parents time to believe she'd simply gone to sleep. Her storage chest opened, brightly-glowing eyes peering out. "Okay, let's go," she quietly said, getting up to slip on her shoes and gather her bag. The chest opened, the slim figure hovering from within. She took with her a wooden baseball bat, climbing up on her desk to open her window. Out onto the roof, they stepped, the puppet aiding in keeping her from falling to the ground, below.

"Alright, so we know for a fact that the haunted house is gone. No point going there. Do you know where else we can go look?" Reese spoke up as her friend helped her down from off the roof. How he hovered and floated like a ghost, she didn't know, despite asking. Heh--not like he'd tell her! With a tilt of his head, he gave it false thought, then nodded. He already knew where they could search. The first was obvious: the permanently-closed Freddy Fazbear's location. From her bag, Reese withdrew her flashlight, switching it on as they departed from home. "You lead, since you know where we're going. I'm not good with directions, but I do remember the street signs, if you think we're lost," she told him, shining the light on the ground in front of them. "If someone finds us, play dead. I'll handle the talking," she added. Nodding his agreement, Marionette hovered on, maintaining his speed so that he didn't leave his best friend behind. Down streets and sidewalks, they ventured, each and every time taking to hiding to avoid the headlights of oncoming cars. They wandered down alleyways, helping one another over fences and through closed gates. They ducked and dodged the lights shining through building windows, not wanting to be seen. Yet, soon enough, they arrived at their first destination. Reese took in the old pizzeria's new face, not liking what she saw.

"Aw, the place is a wreck. Plants growing all over it, windows covered up. Nobody took care of it..." She trailed the light across its walls, letting it drift over the windows. "Auntie used to bring me here. We met Mister William here, too." She redirected the light to the puppet, whom held up a hand to block the light from his eyes. "You sure she could be here? I mean, I don't think anybody's getting inside." Again, Marionette nodded, turning to gesture ahead of them. She turned the light in that very direction. They found the whole in the chain link fence. "Whoa...! Someone sure tore into this, didn't they?" Reese commented, approaching to get a better look. Torn apart by hand, from the looks of it. Someone strong had come through here! Er...but she doubted it was her aunt. Auntie Faye couldn't do this. "Why would someone want to break into the restaurant, though? There's nothing left, here." She flashed the light over the ground, spotting large footprints in the earth. They weren't human, and there seemed to be two sets of them. "Where do these go?" she asked, exchanging glances with the puppet before choosing to follow them. They stopped at the building's back door. With further inspection, they found the door had been broken from its hinges. Carefully, they moved the door to clear the path, allowing them inside. With urgency, Reese hurried inside, her flashlight illuminating the way as she searched about for any sign of her aunt. "Auntie Faye? Are you here?" The door to the kitchen swung open, the girl stepping out into the play area. "Aww...the games are all gone, too. So is the air hockey table. Auntie and I loved playing that, together," she frowned, the puppet nearing from behind. Eye-lights searched carefully, picking up no sign of movement.

"The robots are gone. Aw, look what they did with Foxy's cove! It's trashed!" Reese grumbled, wandering around what used to be Pirate Cove and the prize corner. "All the prizes are gone. Ew...just a dead mouse back there, now." The light moved on to the arcade and playground. "What a mess...!" Broken down, deteriorating. Unsafe to play with, certainly! She moved on to the show stage and the dining tables. "Oh! Auntie held a party for me, here! We used to watch Fredbear and SpringBonnie, on that stage!" she grinned, momentarily forgetting it was only a memory; nothing to be repeated, again. "First time I got to meet SpringBonnie in person. He was so cool...!" She looked, but could not find any of the animatronics. "Yep...they're all gone. Wonder where they were taken?" Both continued looking, Reese all the while calling out for her aunt. Minutes passed, but neither caught sight of Faye. "...I don't think she's here, Emmy. We've looked all over," she sighed in defeat. "Know where else she might go? Otherwise, we might just have to check hotels." Arms crossed, Marionette lowered himself to his feet, trying to think of where else she could possibly go. The footprints outside weren't human, which was alarming. One of them could have been his father's. But...whose were the others? If his father WERE still around, and...say, had found Faye...where would he have taken her? Well...the only other Freddy's location in the area was Fazbear's Fright, but it was long gone. Realistically, there was only one other place Marionette knew to check--and it was the last place he felt Faye would visit. Reese still awaited an answer, though. To her, he nodded, holding up a finger to indicate "one more place".

"Great! Then we need to go. Come on!" Around the dining tables, the child ran, aiming to head back through the kitchen. Her eyes caught sight of something against the wall, and she stopped to look. Papers. No--drawings. Children's drawings and sketches hung on the walls, all around the restaurant. Specifically, by the entryway, a picture SHE had once drawn still hung. The light grew brighter as she approached it. A cartoon-styled golden bear and bunny were depicted on a stage, both wearing purple accessories. The bear held a microphone, while the rabbit played guitar. Musical notes hovered over them, while two people stood happily in front of the stage. Both of these people wore glasses, the older one with reddish-brown hair, the younger one with long, black hair. Bordering the top and bottom of the picture was the phrase, "My day at Freddy Fazbear's Pizza!". Recognizing the picture, Reese pressed herself to the wall, reaching to barely grip the paper with her fingers and tug it free. "Hey...it's the picture I drew! It's the day Auntie and I got to see Fredbear and SpringBonnie perform. I didn't know they kept it!" she beamed, joyful. For only a moment. She was reminded her aunt was still out there, somewhere. What if she WERE hurt? What if someone HAD taken her? What if-- She startled at a hand on her shoulder. Marionette. "She's gonna be okay. Right, Emmy?" As if to console her, he nodded, a soft jingle acting as his response. Guiding her, he corralled her back toward the kitchen. Soon after, outside the building. Faye was not here. Time to search, elsewhere.

The girl folded and tucked her picture in her bag, resuming her trail behind the puppet.

***************************************

Paved streets were gradually replaced by dirt paths, gravel roads. Buildings, swapped with nature. There were no car horns or squealing protests of vehicles trying to stop, abruptly. Out here, there were only bird calls, the chirps of bats waking for the night's hunt. The only lights out here were from Reese's flashlight and the moon, above. "Emmy, it feels like we've been out here for hours. Are you sure you know where you're going?" the girl whined, already feeling cold and minor pains in her feet. Her jacket was too light for this, and she'd forgotten she'd been at school, all morning. She wished now she'd given herself more time to rest--and had grabbed a heavier jacket. Ahead of her, the puppet turned and beckoned her on, knowing they were getting close. "Where ARE we even going?" she asked again, not expecting an answer--since he couldn't speak. This road wasn't familiar to her, as her family hadn't reason to ever come out here. What WAS out here, anyway? A nature trail? Was it the back road to the town's park? If they ended up at the school's practice grounds--

"Emmy...I need a break," she admitted, dropping her bag to sit on it, her bat at her side. As he turned to return to her, she withdrew a bottle of water. "How much farther do we have to go?" she wondered, taking a gulp. "Better question: why would Auntie Faye come out here? There's nothing, out here! Just trees, bushes..." She gestured further down the path. "More trees. There aren't any phones out here, either. Nobody out here for miles. What's even down this road?" He didn't say. Just held both hands close and cast glances up the trail. "Maybe we should go back?" suggested Reese, putting away her beverage when she'd finished with it. Immediately, Marionette shook his head. They were almost there; they couldn't turn back, now! For a moment, she studied him. "You're sure whatever you're looking for is out here?" He nodded. "...Fine. But if we don't find it within ten minutes, we head back." Standing, she grabbed her things, and they pressed on. For those next ten minutes, the only sounds came from Reese's shoes on the ground and the animals around them. She kept her light on the dark figure leading her. So long as he knew where they were going, she'd follow. Eventually, he came to an abrupt stop, motioning down at the ground. She turned her light to see what caught his eye. More footprints--just like the ones at the restaurant. "Emmy, what ARE those?" she quietly asked, as if expecting the prints' creators to still be around. There wasn't a reply. The puppet's eyes turned a warning red, he continuing to lead her. Reese stayed close, her light not lifting from the two sets of prints. This gave her time to note a few details about them. One set was larger than the other, both sets having three toes on each foot. The smaller prints had indentations in their centers, indicating openings of some sort on the smaller creature's feet. Maybe slots for a charging cable? The larger ones had nothing; completely smooth. They almost reminded her of the animatronics back at Fazbear's. Fredbear and SpringBonnie had the same designs as far as their bodies went, right? All of them, save for Chica, had three-toed feet. Were these Fazbear animatronics? No...no. That couldn't be; one set was FAR too small.

The tracks swerved off into the grass. Whatever they belonged to, they had been trying to get out of sight. Maybe they were getting close? "Emmy, is it nearby?" He turned, nodded. Further ahead, he pointed. She looked. There was a turn off through the trees on the right; another path. They hurried on, finally getting off the main trail. The ground turned to pavement, once more. That meant some form of civilization was out here. Nature soon gave up a metal gate, the entrance to a residence. "Wow...! I've never seen this, before. Where does it lead to?" Reese asked, searching the gate for any hints. There were none. Nearing it, Marionette scanned it with white eyes. There was supposed to have been a chain around these gates. From the looks of it, something had broken through it. "Mum said there was a house that was blocked off from people after the restaurant closed. Is this that house, Emmy?" Reese watched him shove the gate open, gesturing her to enter. She did so, shining her light as she went. The pavement continued up around a left corner, the scenery opening up to a large house. Around the house were brick walls, the primary entryway blocked off by another metal gate and caution tape. Closer inspection told them there also used to be chains around this gate--but were now also broken. As Marionette proceeded to open said gate, Reese flashed her light over an object just beside it. A mailbox. On it was a name, but she couldn't make it out. "A...Ar...?" she struggled, finally brushing off the dirt that had built on it. She squinted. "...Af...ton. Afton? What kinda last name is that?" She peered to her friend, whom stared at her, incredulously. "Wait...is that YOUR last name? Well, WAS it your name? Is that how you knew this place was out here?" she suddenly questioned. Hesitantly, reluctantly, he nodded. "You were an Afton?" She gave the house beyond the gate a look. "...You were a kid, here. Weren't you?" Another nod. He motioned her on.

There were more tracks in what dirt patches there were, leading up to the house. Whatever they'd been following, it had stopped here. The house itself was some cross between a cottage and a countryside home, two-stories high with a covered wooden deck. In the available front yard, there were what used to be flower beds. His mother's, Marionette remembered. She used to tend to her flowers, while his father washed cars, and he and his siblings played in the yard. His sister had fallen once during a game of tag, hurt herself. She cried. He turned his ever-grinning face to the front door. Instead of floating, he landed himself, proceeding on thin limbs. Up the stairs, he walked--Reese close behind. As he suspected: the door had been busted in. A three-fingered hand pressed on the door, gently opening it. The interior, well...it was as ruined as the exterior. Furniture was overturned, decaying. Vegetation had invaded, insects crawling about. The sight made the puppet sad. This used to be their living room, complete with a large fireplace. He looked left, to what used to be the dining room and kitchen. The dining room was empty. The kitchen, broken, the floor tiles torn up. No reason for them to head that way. He looked to the right, to a staircase that spiraled up to the second floor. It once led to the bedrooms. To his room. Silently, he stepped close, Reese keeping the space illuminated. They reached the base of the stairs. And paused.

Voices. There were people, upstairs.

Reese held her breath, trying not to gasp in surprise. Marionette gestured her to follow, the two of them quietly proceeding up the steps. Midway up, the child turned off her flashlight, noting another light source present on the upper floor. Candles. There were lit candles on the second floor. The voices were louder, but still too soft to make out. Both hands gripping her flashlight and bat, Reese had leaned herself against the rail to steady herself. But on the final step, she stepped wrong, resulting in a protesting creak from the floor. The voices silenced. Up here were multiple rooms. The voices could have come from anywhere. They continued as quietly as they could, listening. Watching. On their right, a door opened. Something walked out. Something with glowing light-blue eyes. Reese emitted a scared scream, instigating Marionette to launch himself at whatever had presented itself. It successfully fell backwards, giving him a chance to try and claw out its eyes. Robotic hands caught his wrists, however.

"M, stop! It's me! IT'S ME!"

The slim creature froze. It knew that voice. Frankly, so did Reese. The girl flipped on her flashlight again, revealing the mint-green rabbit Marionette had attacked. The voice it had used to speak...was it...? "Auntie Faye?" The hare in question emitted a sound close to a small laugh. "Uh...h-hey, bite-size. What are you and M doing out here? It's getting late," she spoke. "What are WE doing out here? What are YOU doing out here? And why are you dressed as a bunny? Everyone's worried about you. Emmy and I came out here to find you, bring you home," Reese replied, the puppet backing off in shock to let the rabbit stand. "You both really shouldn't have. You should have stayed home. I'm not...I'm not ready to go back." Faye paused. "Are your parents here?" The girl shook her head, "No. Just me and Emmy." Before the rabbit could comment, Reese approached her, trying to take hold of the metallic pieces covering Faye's body. "Come on, you gotta take the bunny suit off and come home. How do you get this thing off, anyway?" The hare lowered her hands to her niece's, stopping her. "It doesn't come off, Reese. It's not a costume," she softly admitted, eyes saddened. The girl stared for a long time, her brain eventually piecing together what she meant. "Wait...if it's not a costume, then...Auntie Faye, are you a robot, now?" When her aunt glanced away in shame, she gasped. "But, how? How did this happen?!" There was a sound from the room behind Faye. Quickly, Reese turned her light to illuminate it. It was a bedroom, more than likely the master bedroom. It had been illuminated by a candle, now brightened to reveal the other rabbit that had accompanied Faye. He stood at the foot of the bed, a large binder closed in one hand. He recoiled a bit at the light. "SpringBonnie? You made it, too! But...wait, HOW?" cried a confused Reese. Marionette already knew how, his eyes turning red. He didn't attack, but stayed posed to do so.

"Reese...you know the attraction burned down, right?" Faye began, kneeling to the child's level. "Yeah. Dad got the call from your boss. Did...did you get caught in the fire? Is that why you look like this, now?" responded the girl. The hare's eyes briefly closed. "Not quite, bite-size. I look like this because...well...you remember how I felt when William disappeared?" Reese nodded. "Okay...then you should know, um...he didn't just disappear. The night he...tried to take us home with him? He panicked when M tried to save us, and put on the SpringBonnie suit. It hurt him, Reese. Very badly. And...he didn't make it. Do you understand?" Another nod. "Okay. Well, he came back--but now HE'S the suit. He's the character, Reese. He can't take off the suit like he used to. William's gone. And...not long ago, he and I were reunited, and he made me like this."

"Why?"

"So that we could be together, Reese-piece. We still remember each other. Love each other. But as we were, we couldn't be together. We couldn't be a couple."

"...He made you a bunny, too, so that you could be with him, like Mum and Dad?"

"Yes. Kind of like that."

"...And you can't take it off?"

"Well...I could, technically. But there won't be a person, inside. I can't tell you how that process went, so...please don't ask."

"Oh...so...you guys did this out of love? Like...what they show on TV?"

"Heh...yeah. I guess we could say it happened, that way."

"...Okay. So long as you're happy, and can come home."

"That, I can't do, yet. There's something that still needs to be done, first."

Reese glanced behind her, spotting Springtrap in the doorway. Marionette tensed, just waiting for him to make a move toward the child. "You said that used to be Mister William?" Reese wondered, getting the hare to peer back at her mate. "That's right," she confirmed. "What's his name, now?" Reese quietly asked. "Springtrap." Faye stood and made space for the girl to walk by. Realizing the light was too bright, Reese shut off her flashlight, then peered up at the taller rabbit. "Springtrap? Were you Mister William, before?" The golden rabbit was hesitant, not sure if he could handle being in a kid's presence. Yet, he knelt anyway, setting down the binder he held. "Hm...yes. That was me, once. But, not anymore. I go by 'Springtrap', now," he stated. Reese giggled, "That's a funny name." Playing along, he chuckled, "It is, isn't it? Well...I suppose so long as it makes you smile, I can live with it." He flinched as she reached to touch his face. "Auntie Faye said you can't take SpringBonnie off, anymore. She also said you made her the same way. Does that mean you're both robots, now?" With a disappointed 'sigh', he reached to gently remove her hand. "I'm afraid so, little one. Not by choice, but...it was the only way."

"Huh. Does that mean you and Auntie Faye love each other?"

Springtrap glanced up at Faye before replying, "Very much. Which is why I went as far as to have her be like me. Are you...angry with me, for doing this to your aunt?" The girl stared down at the floor, contemplating. She didn't quite understand any of this. Didn't those who sleep forever go to Heaven? That's what they'd said about Mister William, once. That's what her father had told her. That everyone will one day go to sleep, and never wake again. But...they didn't say you could sleep and wake again as a robot. Was that something anyone could do? Choose to sleep and wake again as a robot? Is that what William and Auntie Faye had done? Her aunt didn't seem angry for doing it. Mister William seemed to be okay being Springtrap. Suppose if THEY were alright with how they turned out, she could be, too. "Mm, no. I'm not, if you're not. Um...if you guys are happy," Reese determined, putting that to rest. "But you gotta be good to my Auntie. Okay?" Again, the gold rabbit chuckled. "Absolutely, little princess," he returned with a slight bow of his head. Smiling, Reese looked down at the binder. "What's that?" Ears twitching, Springtrap also looked at it. "That? Heh. Surprisingly, it's all that survived in this house." She picked it up when he allowed it, moving to the bed to open it up. A photo album. The Afton family's photo album. Springtrap stood to sit beside the child, leaving Faye to the puppet. Marionette took slow steps closer to the hare, cautious eyes on his father. "Steady on, M. He promised me he wouldn't hurt her," the hare told him, stopping him in the doorway. "He'd designed this body to make sure of that," she added, the two of them stepping within the room. "If he acts up, then so will I." Designed her to...what, exactly? Prevent the rabbit from hurting someone else? Hm...if that were truth, he'd have to give props to his father for thinking ahead. Granted, he didn't agree with turning the young aunt into such, but...if his father really WERE trying to change, that was one way of doing it. Still, until he saw it, he couldn't trust a word spoken about the gold bunny. "Hey, Emmy! Is this you?" Reese asked, pointing at a picture. The puppet suddenly appeared anxious, hesitant. "It'll be okay, M. Go ahead. I'll keep an eye on Spring," Faye promised, silently urging the puppet onward. He took wary steps, but soon enough sat beside his best friend, reminiscing old memories.

For a while, Spring had seemed to forget old impulses. For a while, he seemed rather civil, answering what questions the girl had about his past. For a while, Faye didn't see a decaying animatronic rabbit. Instead, she saw the purple-haired man she'd fallen in love with. A man she missed, terribly. Yet...it was also the man she'd spend her existence with. If she could only convince her brother to see this man in the same harmless light that she did...

She 'smiled' to herself upon the group laughing at the puppet's reaction to one of the pictures. For now, even the puppet appeared to be acting civil. Perhaps...there was hope, yet? She startled at the sound of a door downstairs banging against the wall. A sound that silenced the trio seated on the bed, that caused Reese to softly shut the album. A sound that caused anger to seep back into Springtrap's expression. With a rumbling growl, he stood, focus on the hallway behind Faye.

"Guess who finally decided to show up..."

********************************************

Doors and windows were quickly shut, locked. Then blocked off with whatever heavy objects he could find. If anything were hiding here, it wouldn't be getting out. Both doors out secured, he finished boarding up the windows. This was going to be it; the last location on his 'map'. All of the other locations--Junior's being the exception--had been shut down. Why had he let Junior's survive? Well, there were no reports of possessed animatronics. No attacks, no deaths. He'd no reason to suspect his targets were housed there. All that remained there that mattered to him was Toy Foxy. Exactly what had killed his brother. Still, they'd since pulled the fox from public view, so it couldn't be used to hurt anyone else. He only wished he'd avoided the fox to begin with. Maybe his brother would still be alive, had that been the case.

Everything was soon locked and barricaded off. No one would be getting in to search the remnants. Everything could finally be lay to rest. Tired eyes scanned the darkness. Nothing. He listened. There were steps on the staircase, coming down. Into the living room, he walked, same as the presence descending the stairs. At once, both pairs of eyes locked. A tired grin crossed the young man's face. "Why am I not surprised? I would have thought that fire had brought an end to you," Michael commented, discarding his jacket. The rabbit in the other walkway returned a less-than-impressed look, "It will take more than a campfire to do away with me, son."

"I had a feeling. Surely, it put a stop to your experiments. I hope you aren't taking her loss too personally..."

There was a hint of a 'grin' as the rabbit replied, "Let's just say the sense of worry passed quicker than I'd anticipated."

"Hm. Did she mean little to you? Ah, what does it matter, now? She's out of your hands. And finally, I'll be crossing your name off the list. You see, I've alrea--"

"Jumping to the conclusion that I'm all that remains, aren't you?"

Michael's brows furrowed. Well, he HAD to be; his sister's spirit was free, as well as the child victims', and Faye's--as far as he knew. Of course, there was his brother's spirit, trapped in Junior's puppet character. However, he doubted his brother would ever stand to be in their father's presence. Cassidy had been there to see their sister's death; he feared the robots their father created. Unless...he somehow was aware their father would retreat here after the destruction of the horror attraction. It was the last location he could flee to, as Fazbear's had already been searched, time and time again. There wasn't a place it could offer for him to hide away. Not anymore. "Whom else did you drag here with you, then?" he questioned, uncertain of the answer. He couldn't formulate one. Wordlessly, Springtrap stepped aside to permit a slim figure to enter the room. The elder brother gasped, recognizing the puppet, straight away. "Cassidy...! What...how did you get...did someone...bring you here?" he asked, barely able to form a sentence. The grinning puppet allowed himself a nod, currently glad he hadn't a voice to speak with. What could he even say to the person whom teased him to the point of his death? "Cass, I...I don't know what to say. I don't know where to start...other than I'm sorry. Lord, I'm so sorry. For everything. I never should have...it shouldn't have turned out the way it had. That day, I wasn't...I wasn't trying to hurt you! I was only trying to protect you! Y-you saw for yourself what our father's creations are capable of! I-I couldn't leave the chance that they would further harm others. Look what they had done to Liz. To those other children. To YOU! And I know I should have known better than to 'play with fire', but so long as you were afraid of them, I could trust you wouldn't go near those animatronics. Mom wouldn't have to worry about our safety, and...the three of us would have stayed happy. Together." He hesitantly approached his younger sibling, hands offered out as if to draw the puppet close. "Please, Cass...forgive me. Forgive my own stupidity. I know now that I've hurt you--and that's something I'll never be able to take back! I--" Michael paused, noticing his brother step back away from him. Confused and a little hurt himself, he let his arms lower. "Why are you siding with Father?"

Marionette hadn't "sided" with anyone. He hadn't chosen his father, since his creations HAD harmed the family more than they had done any good. It also didn't help that his sister's death drove their father to insanity. He couldn't side with their father after the murders he'd committed. Yet...he couldn't side with his brother, Michael, for all his teasing and cruelty. He could still remember all the tears, the begs and pleads for him to stop the bullying. He still heard Michael's mocking laughter, the insults he'd thrown at him as he was sobbing on the floor. Then the day came when Michael led him to see Toy Foxy, the animatronic that was "off limits" to the public. He'd begged his older brother to leave the fox be, for them to go play games, instead. Michael hadn't listened. "Give Foxy a kiss, then we'll go," he'd said. His mind had screamed not to get close, and he didn't. Impatiently, Michael had thrust the fox's head closer--not expecting the animatronic's jaws to open and clamp shut around Cassidy's skull. The younger brother recalled feeling pain...then nothing. Darkness engulfed him, the sense of dread and feeling lost filling him. Then...he woke, like this. It was as if his spirit had wandered, finding itself a new body to inhabit. All he knew when he'd come to terms with himself...was anger. Nobody had ever listened to him when he was alive. His sister hadn't when he told her not to go near Circus Baby. She ignored him, and wound up, dead. He'd begged his parents not to fight. They didn't listen, and they ended up, divorced. Michael hadn't listened, either. Now, he was to live on as a puppet. He'd learned he could awaken other lost souls, give them new purpose in the bodies of the other animatronics. They each had told him their story, all of them pointing at his father being the cause of their untimely deaths. All he wanted was for them to finally be at peace. So, he let them seek their revenge. However, he was not in the right for doing so. In hunting down William, he'd also hurt Faye, the same lady whom wanted him to come be a part of her family. Not a member of the Aftons had been an innocent. Perhaps their whole family deserved this?

"...I'm going to right our wrongs, Cass. Father was meant to face judgement for his misdeeds. You, I was to make certain would go free. I, well...I don't deserve a good life for what I've done. Perhaps our father is right. In trying to steer you away from him and his monsters, I've accidentally turned you into one. But...that will all be resolved. The house is blocked off from within. No one will be getting in, or getting out. This was the birth place of the nightmares. It's time now we all woke up," Michael lowly spoke, kicking aside an empty gas container. He'd poured it about the house as he'd gone about sealing it off. It was originally just meant to be their father's fate, but now that the remaining Aftons were gathered...it would now be shared among them all. "It doesn't have to end this way, Mike," came a feminine voice. With the Aftons gathered in the living room, not a one being a female, Michael turned to look toward the stairway. There stood the mint rabbit, a little girl with dark hair and glasses standing at her side. Confusion soon parted for realization--and self-aimed cursing. "...I thought I was doing you a favor, miss Faye. You weren't supposed to be cursed with eternal life in a robot's skin," the young man addressed. "It was a curse in itself to have your dad come back to life, but never for us to be together," the hare corrected, anger present in her eyes. "Be together? But...that would mean--" His gaze turned accusatory. "You and our father..."

"Yes."

"Despite knowing what all he's done, Faye? He killed our sister! He's slaughtered children! He's snatched your whole life from you and stuck you in a robot's shell! He doesn't deserve a 'happy ending'!"

"I DO know what all he's done, Mike. I'm sorry for what's happened to your sister, to the rest of your family. No, I don't agree with any of his actions. Yes, he should face punishment or judgement for his crimes. And one day, it may come. But that's not for either you or I to decide. For now, your dad's got to live a life eternally, with nightmares surrounding all the wrongs he's done. He's trapped in a skin from which he can't escape--and he must live with it. I was shocked he'd come back, at all! But...what you all don't understand is...I was hurting when he was taken away. When I thought I'd lost him, forever...I just didn't think life was worth carrying on. But I did. And that wait paid off when we were reunited." She spared a glance to her male counterpart. "It only roused a new concern, and that was that he was an animatronic, while I was human. Our relationship wouldn't have lasted--"

"And that, it shouldn't have! Our father doesn't deserve someone like you. He doesn't deserve anything but the misery he's brought upon all of us!"

The gold rabbit held his proverbial tongue, but couldn't mask the anger that was trying to surface. White eyes were red, and he was starting to emit a sort of growl. He was silenced, though, by Reese's rush to wrap her arms around his leg. "That's all going to change, Mike. There were reasons he'd built this new body for me. One of those reasons being that I was to counter his ill impulses. If he were to try to hurt another kid, I could stop him. He WANTS to change, be better. Not just for me, but for Reese. For the family he wants to be a part of," insisted Faye, moving to stand beside Springtrap and Marionette. "I know he can get better, and I'm willing to see it through."

"Why take that risk, Faye? How can you be sure he won't sneak off to slay again the moment your back is turned?"

"I trust him."

"Heh! YOU trust HIM? He killed people!"

"And YOU accidentally killed your brother. Just as your brother turned around and killed your father. Only, neither of them stayed dead, did they? Mike, let this go, already. Your family's suffered enough. I'll bear the weight of this mess, now. But please--"

"No. I need to finish what was started. This all needs to end. I'm just...sorry you and the kid here had to get caught in it." The scent of gasoline was getting strong. He felt he was doing the right thing. This NEEDED to end. From a pocket, he withdrew a lighter. "It ends here--for all of us." The lighter flicked open, producing a flame. Michael took to a knee, lowering the flame. Marionette threw himself at his brother, aiming to stop him, as Springtrap hurried to snatch up Reese. The child was back in Faye's arms before the hare realized what was happening. The two were shoved toward the stairs. Neither looked to watch the Aftons in the rapidly-vanishing room.

******************************************

Strange that they hadn't heard back from Faye. She was supposed to call, wasn't she? She said to give her a day, then they could come pick her up. Yet, another day had gone, and still...nothing. Tense, Mitch dug his fingers in his hair, body sitting at the dining table. He was alone; his wife upstairs in checking on their daughter. She'd told them she was going to bed, early. Rare. She never went to bed, early. Was she not feeling well? Before they could even think of retiring for the night, Rune offered to check in on Reese, one more time. That left the husband and father to himself. To his thoughts. Not for long, though. It hadn't taken his wife but a minute to discover their child was gone. Hurriedly, she rushed down the stairs, frightened. She thought someone may have taken her. Alerted, Mitch rose to head upstairs. He found no signs of a break-in. Nor did he spot the puppet. "She wasn't taken," he stated, realization sinking in. "They've run off." Rune started to comment, worry in her tone, but was silenced by her husband's phone ringing. Both stepping out of the room, Mitch answered the call. It was his sister's voice on the other end.

"Faye! Heavens, you don't know how happy I am to hear from you! But at the same time, I don't know what to make heads or tails of. Reese and Marionette are gone; they've disappeared!"

"Calm down, brother. They're here. They're both here, with me."

He froze in the hallway, phone still at his ear. "What?"

"They couldn't wait to come track me down. So they left without you. Not to worry; they're both okay. Same goes for me." There was a noise in the background. "I can't stay on the phone, long. Someone else is here."

"Squirt, where ARE you?"

"...Are you ready to jot down the address? If not, you better grab something to write with."

Quickly thinking, Mitch gestured to his wife to text the message through her phone, repeating every number and word Faye spoke to him. Faye abruptly cut the call short, leaving the two parents with a physical address. There was little time to waste. With the address on his phone, Mitch hurried back downstairs and out to his truck. Rune was hot on his heels. "Wait! What did she say?!" she cried, stopping him short of the vehicle. "She said our daughter's with her. Wherever they are, they aren't alone. That's all I need to know," he returned, opening the truck door to climb in. The passenger door opened as well, and he looked to see his wife climb in beside him. "Rune, what are you doing?" She looked at him with a faintly-intense gaze. "That's also MY little girl, out there. I have just as much right to go as you do," she spoke, firmly. Belt buckled, her mind was made up. There was no changing it. Mitch didn't even try. Instead, the truck was started up, and soon pulled out onto the main road. He followed street signs, turning where his wife pointed. The old Freddy Fazbear's location, they drove by. A few roads away, the burnt remains of Fazbear's Fright still sat. The body hadn't been found. Not yet. Paved roads turned to dirt and gravel. There were soon no street lights. Only headlights lit the way. On they drove, determined to find their family. Based on what the older brother had heard, he had to guess their "guest" was an unwelcome one. Otherwise, his sister wouldn't have suddenly ended the call. Something was wrong.

Light in the distance attracted his attention. It was incredibly bright in the surrounding darkness. And the closer they grew, the larger it became. At their closest, the light stretched over the trees, clawing at the sky. Both instantly knew what it was--and Mitch wasted no time plowing through the gates. If it was what they believed, and their daughter was there, then...

They chose not to think of the worst, hoping their child would be found, unharmed. Soon enough, they stopped upon driving up on it. In the distance was a house. And that house was engulfed in flames. The truck turned off, both parents climbed out, expressions a mixture of worry and fear. Their drive out here only took less than twenty minutes. But it had been long enough for the fire to swallow the household. Neither of them spoke. THIS was where Faye told them to come? Was she even still around? Was Reese? "Mitchel!" Rune called, pointing him toward something standing spaced from the house in the continuing yard. Two figures stood, one holding the other. Deciding to go with her hunch, Rune took off running toward the figures. Her husband wasn't far behind. A child's voice soon called out to them. "Mum! Dad!" Relieved smiles crossed their faces, and they watched the taller figure set down the smaller one--Reese. Mother and daughter were first to reunite, the father bringing them all together in a hug. Thankfully...their family was back together, again. But...what of the extended family? Mitch was first to raise his gaze to the second figure: a mint-colored rabbit with drooping ears. When facing them, the rabbit's details couldn't be seen through the shadows that were cast over her. All that they could make out were two glowing light-blue eyes.

"W-who...who are you?" he asked, not recognizing it as any of the animatronics from the pizzeria. "Dad, that's Auntie Faye," Reese chimed in, finding his question ridiculous. He almost stuttered, "THAT'S Faye?!" Beside him, his daughter nodded. "SpringBonnie made her this way," she stated, failing to realize this was a sensitive subject for her father. He knew exactly what that meant. Slowly, the man stood and separated himself from his family, steps remaining slow as he neared the rabbit. Shock claimed his features, he struggling to see his sister in the metal creature that stood before him. Nothing seemed familiar. There was nothing human about this character. Except for her eyes. Those WERE Faye's eyes. Just...no longer human. His arms lifted shaking hands, gentle in placing them on either side of her head. Warm flesh didn't meet his touch. Only cold metal. "...No..." he muttered, realizing this WAS his sister. "No...no, it can't...it can't be! It's a sick joke!" he tried to refuse. Yet, the rabbit took hold of his hands. "Bro, it IS me," Faye clarified, her eyes never leaving his own. He said nothing more; just shook. Her shoulders slacked. "Now you know. I'm sorry I didn't come home, last night." And there it was. One of the few times in their lifetime that Faye could recall seeing her brother cry. These weren't happy tears, though. Disappointment, horror, resentment. That's all that filled those eyes. They spoke everything Faye didn't want to hear--even without her brother uttering a word.

Instead of trying to speak, Mitch closed his arms around his sister. Apologies were immediately whispered to the rabbit. Faye knew what for. "Where...where is your lil' puppet friend?" Rune asked her daughter, having not spotted the slim character anywhere. A saddened Reese turned her eyes to the ground. "...He was in the house, Mum," she spoke, softly. Just as Mitch was with Faye, Rune pulled Reese close. Apologies were spoken to her, as well. It seemed to the family that they were all that remained, now. Yet...there was a jingle. Soft, quiet. But it still got the child's attention. There was another jingle. Louder, closer. Reese peered through the brightness of the flames and the cover of smoke. Something stumbled forth, light quickly shaping a slim figure on thin limbs. "Emmy!" she cried, happily. From her mother's arms, she ran, tackling him to the ground in a hug. He smelled of burning wood, his white mask blackened in few areas. His body wasn't as lively as it had been. Rather, when he was tackled, he went slack under his close friend. Strained jingles--sounding pained--trailed out of him. "Oh, sorry! Sorry, Emmy. Are you okay?" Reese spoke as she got up. He didn't look terribly damaged, other than some burns here and there. Oh, and that he was missing his right forearm. He'd been covering what was left of his limb with his left hand. "Emmy, you're hurt--" the girl began to say, but silenced herself. Carefully, she helped him get back on his feet, supporting his little weight on her shoulder. "Mum! Emmy's hurt!" The woman hurried over, gently taking the puppet from her daughter. Carefully, she inspected the puppet's injuries. "Ah, it doesn't look that bad. I'm sure we can get that patched up for ya, no problem," she lightly smiled, Marionette tiredly jingling his agreement before letting himself collapse against the red-head's body. "Lil' darling's exhausted," Rune softly stated, calming her worried daughter.

All the while, Faye watched from where she stood as she and Mitch pulled away from one another. Her brother's eyes were red from crying, his posture displaying how tired he was. It had been quite the ride for all of them. She was glad Reese was unharmed, and that Marionette had only sustained minimal damages. But...where did that leave Springtrap? Where was he? Faye glanced about their surroundings, hoping to see any sign that he'd also survived. She prayed that he had. Smoke filled the air around them, making visibility difficult. "Come on," Mitch coughed, leading his sister away from the collapsing house. "...It's time we all went home..." Faye didn't oppose, allowing him to guide her and the others back to the truck. There was still the worry, the concern. Had he made it, too? Half-way to the vehicle, Faye spared a glance over her shoulder. Her light-blue eyes flashed purple. "Mitch?" At his name, the man stopped, attention quickly back on his sibling. "What's wrong, squirt?"

Her steps slowed. "Nothing. Nothing's wrong. I...um...could you promise me something?"

"Anything, squirt. Name it."

"That you won't shoot him?"

Shoot him...?! Who? "What do you mean, 'that I won't shoot him'? Who are you talking about?" He cast a curious stare over his sister when she stopped walking, entirely. Blue eyes met his green ones. And for an instant, he saw them turn purple. Her body turned, head also turning to peer over her shoulder. He looked, as well. A mixture of horror and anger claimed his features. A larger form gradually emerged from the smoke. Once-golden "skin" was now a dull tan, perhaps a shade of brown. Sections of his body were littered with small holes. His right ear was broken, now missing its upper segments. His lower legs and feet had burned away, his endoskeleton and cables exposed in their place. Despite barely escaping the inferno, he kept a steady, casual pace. His arms were tucked behind his back, posture straight. Just as if this were an every-day occurrence for him. Heh...it may as well have been! White eyes remained locked on the family he approached, not even stalling as Mitch attempted to rush at him, only stopped by the mint-colored hare he called his sister. Restrained, the man could do little more than glare at the broken rabbit nearing him. Almost tauntingly, Springtrap stopped a foot away from him, slightly leaning forward with a slight sense of a "grin".

"Good evening, Mr. Wilson."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This marks the end of the main story, guys. The epilogue comes up, next. We'll see how the Wilson family copes with Springtrap's return...


	13. Part 13 (Epilogue)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: Mild language ahead. It's been censored for you guys.
> 
> This is also part one of the epilogue--since the original had to be broken down for being too large. DX

"You MONSTER!"

"You rotten, metal DEMON!"

Mitch had been furious. She remembered his every word, as if it all took place just yesterday. Even now, she could still hear everything he'd said, so clearly. With her eyes closed, she still saw the whole event play out. Springtrap had recoiled as her brother lunged violently for him. It took all her strength to hold Mitch back. She remembered the shine of his tears in the fire's light as they fell to the ground.

"That fright house should have taken you down with it!"

"D**n you, devil! Go back to H*ll! Have you ANY idea what you've done?!"

Her brother wrenched himself free from her grip, she being quick to pin him down before he could get his hands on Spring. "SHE WAS MY SISTER!" Mitch yelled, tears streaming from his eyes. "...She was my sister..." he repeated, emotion breaking up his voice. She felt his body ease under her, surrendering. Slowly, the hare had backed off, pulling him onto his knees. "You've torn her from us, just as you had done the children of countless families. You BEAST! I'll tear you limb from limb, myself!" the elder sibling shouted, giving a final attempt to reach his target. Yet again, his sister intercepted. Moved to push him back as he got to his feet. Faye didn't want him hurt, nor to hurt the rabbit that caused all of this. But WHY? Conflicted, he uselessly beat on the metal form of his sibling. "WHY DO YOU SIDE WITH HIM?! IT'S ALL HIS FAULT! HE STOLE YOU FROM US, FAYE! WHY DO YOU KEEP PROTECTING HIM?!"

His body eventually tired out, hands and wrists sore from the physical bashing he'd dealt the hare he now called his sister. It hadn't done her any damage. Not a dent.

In a soft tone, she'd replied. "Because I love him, brother."

He'd lost it. Collapsing in her arms, Mitch yelled out, mentally and verbally cursing the once-gold rabbit for having ruined everything. All throughout his breakdown, Faye gently held him. Not a one spoke, or made any other motion to console him. When all was done, she carefully helped him stand. He looked absolutely...defeated. No matter how badly he wished to bring William to his knees, he knew it would never change the fact that the animatronic had won. No matter the outcome, he still had Faye. There was no getting her back. Not now. "I will NEVER forgive you for this...!" Mitch swore under his breath, glaring at the large rabbit. "Never did I ask you for it," Springtrap replied simply, expression and posture never faltering. Everything the dark-haired man had shouted at him, he already deemed true. He WAS a monster. A demon. He didn't deserve forgiveness. None of that mattered. He could accept it all as it came, so long as Faye continued to persist in staying at his side.

With authorities on their way to the blaze, the family had little choice but to take Springtrap home with them. The truck ride had been a silent one. Mitch was practically beside himself, uncertain what to think or say. In his mind, he'd failed his parents. The promise he'd made them. He'd keep Faye safe. That's what he'd sworn before the day of their parents' death. He'd admitted this to Rune, a previous night. Aware that this was floating around in his darkest thoughts, Rune placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. He'd straightened himself, trying to focus on the road. In the back seat, Reese tried to soothe a pained Marionette, the tired puppet limply cradling his wounded limb. Beside Reese sat Faye. The hare's body was angled so that she could look out the truck's back window. Her counterpart sat in the truck bed, head hanging in his guilt. This would likely be a bridge between himself and Mitch that may never be repaired. A part of him didn't care. A part of him did.

Mitch glanced into the rear-view mirror upon hearing a tap at the back window. In the reflection, he saw his sister press a hand to the glass. White eyes met with hers, a larger hand pressed against the other side. If not for that barrier, they'd be touching. The elder sibling resisted a disappointed sigh as he focused again on the drive home.

"He stays in the shed," was his immediate statement when the truck finally parked and everyone got out. It wasn't a suggestion. "But--" Faye began as she stood beside the truck. Mitch cut her off with the slamming of his door. "He stays in the shed, and the h*ll away from my family! He comes anywhere near our house, I'll finish what the fire started!" spat her brother, glare lifting from her to Springtrap. Not hearing another word, the elder sibling made way for the front door, where his wife and daughter waited with Marionette. Faye again tried to protest, but was silenced by her broken counterpart. "He needs time, Faye. I'll consider it his form of generosity."

"Spring, I--"

He shook his head, "It's ultimately his decision. He's the head of this family. If he's permitting me use of the shed, I won't refuse. A roof over my head is better than none at all." Springtrap felt pity at the sadness displayed by his smaller mate, gently pulling her into an embrace. "I'm not blaming you for his choice. Don't worry, everything will work out," he'd told her. "I'd rather you were in there with me," she returned, warming slightly with his chuckle. "Would be preferable than a storage unit, would it not?~ With current arrangements, though, I'll be fine. Don't fret over me." With a slight shrug, he added, "It's not as if I'll be far away." Well...no. He wouldn't be, but still. There was no further convincing Mitch in his state of mind, so the hare had no choice but to show the larger rabbit to his arranged shelter. His bed ended up being a spare mattress and some pillows in one corner of the building. Faye hated to leave him there, but bringing him inside with her was out of the question. Mitch wouldn't have it. Meanwhile, she was to return to her room, and the family was to come to terms with recovery. Acceptance. This was to be their new normal.

***********************************************

Thanksgiving wasn't the same. Rather, it turned out to be an awkward time for the family. The group of three sat and prayed at the table, plates of food prepared before them. On one end of the table, Faye had sat, although didn't have a plate of her own. Animatronics had no need for food, after all. Instead, she'd sat quietly, mind on other subjects as the family ate. Marionette hadn't joined them, either. He'd opted earlier to join his father at the shed. Seeing him step out, Faye had tried to follow, but was stopped by his gesture. "Bad blood" or not, he and Springtrap were still son and father. Family. The last, since Michael's death. "I need to speak with him. Alone," came a young boy's voice. This stunned Faye. Not only had a VOICE come from the puppet, but she actually HEARD it. Marionette could TALK. But even with this realization, the hare chose to respect his decision. "Thank you. Now...go spend time with your family," instructed the slim being, pardoning himself on his way to the shed that sheltered his father.

The family hadn't seen either the puppet or the rabbit, that day.

Christmas now grew closer. The family had gotten used to its new normal. Rune had made for Marionette a new arm and hand, instantly perking the puppet's mood. He'd returned the favor in helping her and Reese decorate the house for the holiday. Mitch, for the time being having forgotten about Springtrap, had warmed back up into his old self, returning to work as if nothing had gone wrong. With it being the holiday season, all classes were let out, so Rune was home more often to be with her daughter. The family was happier, recovering well. All except for the hare, of course. Well over 2 months had passed since the night of the reunion, yet Mitch still hadn't lifted the ban on Springtrap. Other than stopping by the shed to visit him, Faye hadn't seen much from the rabbit. Granted, he wasn't about to rebel against Mitch's final word--not when he kept Faye within those walls. Yet, with Christmas only days away...Faye couldn't stand Sleeping alone, any longer. Lying in bed, the only comfortable place she could let herself shut down on, Faye stared up at the ceiling, computer brain far too active to even engage Sleep Mode. Glowing eyes shifted to her window. From her room, she could see the shed in the distance. During the day, anyway. It was after midnight, and likely snowing again. Still, the hare found herself getting up and moving quietly down the hall to the back door.

Quick fingers tapped on the screen of the security system, disarming it. She went for the door, hoping nobody heard its soft creak. And flinched at the beeping to signal the back door's opening. Despite hurrying to step outside, she paused upon spotting her brother there. Looking to see whom or what was trying to come in. Or, in this case, step out. Neither sibling spoke, Faye aware she'd been caught. The long silence was eventually broken, as Mitch let out a soft sigh. His expression didn't read anger. He didn't even look upset. "Go ahead," he stated, giving in. Faye's ears twitched at his words, eyes widened. "Are you sure?" she wondered. A curt nod. "Yeah. Go on, before I change my mind." Her eyes her only way of displaying happiness, the bottom lids rose in some hint of a 'smile'. The door soon closed, the hare disappearing into the darkness. The man, meanwhile, locked the door back, eyes focused on his sister until he could see her no longer.

"'Ow long are ya plannin' to keep 'em apart, love?" came Rune's voice, obviously disturbed from her slumber--but aware of what was going on. "We both know neither o' 'em are happy, this way. Keepin' 'em locked up, hidden away. That's no life for either o' 'em. Especially not for your sister; she deserves better." Her husband sighed, turning to her with a hand to his forehead. "I know she does. She always has," he confirmed.

"Then why are you doin' this to 'em? It's obvious he makes her happy, despite all he's done. An' it's not fair to keep 'em contained. They're people, not property."

"What do you suggest I do, then?"

"What I've been sayin' for years, love: learn to let go. Your sister's not a lil' girl, anymore. Nay, she's not even human, anymore. An' it's plain as day that she's head over heels for that rabbit. You need to let 'em both go, live their own lives. Together."

"You expect me to trust someone like HIM with my sister?"

"You just let her go out to see him, didn't ya?"

...Well, dang.

Tucking a few strands of her red hair behind her ear, Rune approached him to wrap her arms around him. "Mitch, my love, I know too well how much your sister means to ya. I know you promised your folks you'd keep her protected. But every lil' girl becomes a woman at some point, and she needs to go be with a man. YOU may not trust that ol' rabbit out there, but...from what I've seen over the months, he treats her well enough. Never have I seen him make move to hit her."

"She shoved him back inside the shed and pinned the door shut."

"Well, he said somethin' about 'urges' hittin' him, now didn't he? It's HER job to keep him on the right path."

"See? You just admitted he had tried to go and hurt other kids in the neighborhood."

"Aye--an' just another reason we can't keep 'em here."

"...We can't turn animatronics loose here, darling."

"No. But I know o' a place where we CAN."

"Tsk--I'm not sending Faye off with some murder-bunny."

"...Ya know, he approached me in the backyard, once before. Requested somethin' o' me." She smirked and faintly snickered at his slightly-angered expression. "Nothin' o' THAT sort, love. Just if I could find him a sort of jewelry."

"Jewelry?"

"Aye. A gift for his love on Christmas."

Mitch resisted a frown, meeting her gaze. "Okay...so what did you say?"

"Only that I have an idea. Showed him what I had. He made his selection."

"Don't tell me: you gave him something I gifted you, once."

"No, no. Somethin' from within my first family. It's okay; I'd offered it. But...if he's goin' that far as to gift her fine jewelry for Christmas, it's serious. An' considerin' she just ran out to see him, she's serious about him, too."

"...Alright. I see your point." He lightly smiled at her. "You're awfully serious when it comes to relationships. You know that?"

"She's like a sister to me too, love. I want the best for her, just as you do. I just ask you one thing: leave the bunnies be."

"...How can I 'let go', though? Where would they even go to?"

A sly grin crossed her face. "Ah, you leave all that to me, love~"

**********************************

Snow crunched under the hare's feet as she hurried to the other end of the yard. Heh, more like a field, if anyone asked. She forgot how big the backyard was. But her steps had to be fast; snow wasn't kind to animatronics. She WAS grateful that she couldn't feel the cold, though. Her running didn't stop until she'd reached the shed in question. The lights were off inside. Expected, since he was supposed to be in Sleep Mode. A flake of snow found its way inside the bend of one arm, resulting in a small pop of voltage. "Ow!" Glaring at the affected limb, she pointlessly rubbed it. Better get inside. She knocked on the door, doing so again when there wasn't a response. A light came on. Soon after, the door was unlocked and opened. Before he could comprehend whom his company was, Springtrap glanced down to find his mint-green counterpart wrapped around him in a hug. "...Do I even need to ask?" he wondered. "Do I need to answer?" she shot back, secretly happy she wouldn't have to force herself to Sleep, tonight.

"...No. No, you don't."

Bulky arms carefully lifted and carried her inside, the door closed and locked back. Besides the makeshift bed, there was also a lamp plugged in, along with a single heating unit. Not that they could feel heat or cold, but it was to keep their robotic forms from malfunctioning. The larger rabbit settled himself on the mattress first, letting Faye rest against his torso. "So, you bribe the warden to let you out? Or did you sneak out?" he asked, genuinely curious. "Neither," Faye said, feeling better now that she was in his company. "I mean, I started to sneak out, but Mitch caught me. He permitted me to leave, this time."

"Hm. Rather pathetic you need his permission to come see me."

"You know he still doesn't trust you."

"D**n his trust. It's not him I care for. Never was, and never will be."

"...I hate that it has to be that way. But...I guess this is better than the alternative. I don't think I could handle you being gone, permanently."

Another chuckle. "And I do believe we've been over this, before. I'm not going anywhere, dearest." She felt thick fingers at the base of one of her ears, their tips barely applying pressure to the wiring, within. She hummed her resulting pleasure. "And neither are you," he finished, indulging in her sounds. For a time, she let him pamper her with gentle touches. A habit he'd picked up since she became an animatronic. They weren't one-sided; she occasionally returned the favor. Occasionally, because too much of HER touching would typically result in a more "demanding" state of mind. Which, for tonight, was precisely what she was shooting for. Her body resting against his, she let a hand sneak its way down his abdomen, fingers finding a hole in his shell. They slipped through, looping themselves around a particular set of cables...

At his startle, her eyes began to glow a shade of purple. For the first time, so did the light panels in her chest. "Ah...so THAT'S what you came for~" Her metallic giggles were a giveaway. She sat up, eyes and light panels still glowing purple, "Guilty. But c'mon; it's been months since we were last 'together', and I'm starting to feel the 'withdrawal'~" In all honesty, so was he. However, he was forbidden to enter the Wilson household. She had to come to him. His own eyes partly shut, they also began to glow a brighter purple, hints of light-blue at their core. "Whatever my little bunny wants~" he 'growled', reaching with no hesitation to take hold of her torso plates and pop them apart...


	14. Part 14 (Epilogue Final)

Rising sunlight gradually cast itself over the frost-covered windows of the shed, announcing the arrival of Christmas morning. The interior slowly filled with this warming light, it taking its time in melting the frost. Fresh snow coated the earth, remnant of the snowfall from the previous night. Yet, thanks to the heater within, the cold went unnoticed. Inside, only said heater's hum broke the silence. Light eventually dipped low enough to reveal the two rabbit animatronics "slumbering" among one corner. Faye had once again traded her bed for a spot beside her counterpart. He'd Slept propped up against the wall, letting her rest her head on his lap. His own hung, "chin" barely touching his "collar", his intact ear casting a shadow over his face.

Although Springtrap was the first the light uncovered, he was not the first to Wake.

Thanks to her internal clock, Faye's mechanical body returned to life before he did. The circular light panels on her chest lit up a bright blue, her body shifting moments after. Light-blue eyes opened, blinked. They focused on the heating unit, the lawn mower and gardening tools currently not being used, then to the ruined rabbit on whom she'd Slept. His left hand was still settled on her head, having paused mid-stroke over her strip of faux hair. As she rose, it slipped down the back of her head, slowing its descent on her drooping ears. Before it could drop back to its place at his side, she caught it with her right arm, her own hand moving to take hold of his wrist. From this perspective, she was reminded of just how large he was compared to her. His hand easily dwarfed her own. Thick fingers were still for now, but she vividly remembered how firm and demanding they had held onto her, the night before. Metal fingertips had acted as if bearing claws, grip possessive. Teeth were locked shut around wherever they could bite. She remembered having caught sight of sparks from within his mouth.

It had felt amazing~

Silently, she let her fingers interlock with his, finding she could barely wrap her digits around his hand. A part of her wondered why he had to be so large. A part of her already knew the answer. At one time, he'd used to be a character costume for an adult man--and William had been a tall specimen. Curious eyes wandered. Despite further cleaning and some minor repairs, Springtrap still wasn't his original gold, artificial "fur" still clinging to its brownish shades. Right ear was still broken, the endoskeleton of his lower legs and feet still exposed. He'd earlier refused any restorations beyond basic function, stating that he didn't want her wasting her efforts. If she really wanted to, he insisted on a new body, altogether. Something more lifelike, emotive. Anything to at least grant him some sense of normalcy. Perhaps in time, that would be a project he could work on. Maybe...one for Faye, too?

Her mechanical form jumped at the sudden knocking on the door. Letting go of her hold on his limb, the hare stood, re-checking to assure her proper appearance before proceeding to answer. The door opened, Rune dressed warmly just outside. "Mornin'," she greeted, flakes of snow clinging to her long hair. "Uh...morning. What are you doing out here, so early?" Faye spoke, puzzled. The woman briefly giggled, breath a mere fog from her lips. "Why else? It's Christmas! Family holiday, and what-not. That includes everyone--even your darlin' bun, in there. I just swung by to fetch ya, is all." Both of Faye's ears twitched. "O-oh! Y-you wanted to include Spring? What about Mitch?"

"Ah, stepped on some toes to get his permission. Like it or not, that ol' rabbit's a part of your family, now. An' YOU'RE part o' ours. Anywho, the others aren't up, yet. Now grab your bunny, an' let's get back inside. Not right to force you both to spend the day in the shed."

Oh. Well, if...if she was sure. The hare turned without question to shut off the heater, then attempted to wake her companion. With enough encouragement, white eyes blinked open, locking themselves on Faye. "Rune's outside. Says we're allowed in the house, today," she informed him. "Are we, now? Is she convinced her significant other won't attempt to shove me back out the door?" the larger rabbit grunted as he regained control of his body. "She claimed she talked him into it. Besides, if he does, I'm coming back out with you," Faye stated with a short nuzzle of noses. "She's outside, right now?" he asked further, motioning beyond the door. At her nod, he paused in thought, then gently caught her hand. "I need to speak with her a moment, if you'll permit?" Again, Faye nodded, slowly making her way out while he got to his feet. Faye passed her sister-in-law, the woman not leaving her spot. Taking the hint, she hurried for the house, not wanting to expose her mechanical body to the elements for too much longer. Still, as she walked, she spared a glance back, curious to see what it was the two were up to. She couldn't hear what was being said as the shed door swung open, Springtrap appearing in the doorway as Rune stepped closer. She spoke, he replied. The red-head grabbed something from her coat pocket, turning it over to the rabbit. He took it in a large hand, looking it over. Whatever it was. Satisfied with it, he stashed it away within his chest cavity. Eyes mimicking furrowed brows, Faye gripped and wrapped her large ears around herself, mainly to deflect any falling snow, and continued her trek to the house.

The back door was still unlocked, letting her enter. Only a few lights illuminated the living room, the dining room. Exterior light hadn't yet crawled in through the windows. Nobody else had gotten up, certain to still be tucked away in bed. By the back door, Faye peered out into the yard. Side by side, Rune and Springtrap walked casually, the woman's arms crossed and hands tucked to warm them. It was actually rather...strange how casual they seemed to be. Almost as if there WASN'T a giant animatronic walking up the barely-visible path. Still, acknowledging that they were following, Faye left the door cracked open, proceeding in to the living room. The large decorated tree in the corner was alive with lights, shining on the presents underneath it. The clock on the mantle displayed a time of nearly 7 am. Light panels glowing, Faye sat on the couch. Soon, her niece would be bolting down the stairs in excitement. Not something she wanted to miss. Voices resumed conversation as their owners entered the house. Tone was kept low, as if to keep Faye from listening in.

The hare caught a snippet from Rune, asking him if he needed paper towels or a dry rag. Spring softly turned down the offer with thanks, complimenting Faye's attempts to keep him clean. Her body slightly sunk in place. Well, she DID promise to take care of him! There were soft murmurs from the woman, and shortly after, the formerly-golden bunny entered the living room. A brief survey let him find her waiting for him on the sofa. Balled up in place, legs pulled and held close by her arms, body leaning against the opposite arm rest. She looked so small. So...meek. Just as he liked it~ White eyes turned a faint purple, and she hid her face behind her knees with a telltale giggle. He was on her in a similar manner of predator on prey, approach kept slow. Unable to kiss, he had to make due with love-bites. She happily accepted, either way.

From the kitchen, they heard pans being prepped for cooking. Heh, ironic. How quickly the woman in the other room had been forgotten. Well, it didn't matter. It's not as if they could eat, anyway. But the other inhabitants could, and the sounds didn't fail to wake the husband, at least. Mitch stepped out of the bedroom, remembering to pull on a shirt to pair with his pants. A yawn fled him as he craned his neck, easing the stiffness. His stride toward the kitchen stopped, eyes focused on the rabbit currently holding his sister in his lap. She could not gauge his expression, since her back was to him, but her counterpart easily could. In the dim lighting, the larger rabbit's eyes glowed. White eyes caught sight of the silent man. There was no hostility. Rather than with words, Springtrap acknowledged him with a curt nod. No threatening glare was involved. In response, the man's green eyes dropped to the mint-colored female. Judging by how accepting of him she was, he wasn't posing a threat to anyone under this roof. Not now, anyway. His wife had already made herself clear, and he wasn't about to argue with her. So, instead of being hostile, Mitch chose to let out a breath, and return a nod. The family had to remember that they had a child in the house, though. Once ideal prey for the previously-murderous animatronic rabbit. Yet, not only was Faye with him, but they also had the puppet at Reese's side. It was yet to be seen, though: could he handle being in a kid's presence?

Supposedly, he had. But that was just before the burning of the Afton household.

The elder sibling left the two in the living room, choosing to converse with his wife instead of riling things up into an unnecessary argument. With the kitchen active, sounds of preparing food breaking the silence, the pair on the sofa seemingly appeared to "doze" off. Far too early for this mess, anyway! But their moment of peace was interrupted by the hurried steps of a child running from her room, upstairs. "Mum! Dad! It's Christmas!" she called, making way down the stairs with a present almost too big for her to carry. She hadn't changed out of her pale-yellow Winter sleepwear, hair somewhat tended to and neatened up. Stopping near the tree, she plopped the present down, pausing in the act upon spotting the animatronics there. "Hi, Auntie. Hi, Spring." Her voice momentarily startled her aunt, the mint-colored bunny letting illuminated eyes focus on the girl. "Heya, Reese-piece. Sorry. I guess we nodded off," Faye 'smiled'. Reese tilted her head, "Nodded off? But I thought animatronics didn't need to sleep?" She watched the hare set her head on the arm rest. "Well, I lied," Faye stated, indeed feeling weariness despite having a mechanical body. "Where's the puppet?" she then asked. As if on cue, the present Reese had brought down opened, the character in question peering out with a Santa hat on his head. "Oh. There he is," Faye lightly laughed, returning the wave Marionette gave her, albeit lazily.

"Is everyone else up, yet? It's about time to open presents," the child spoke. "I think you're eating breakfast, first," her aunt corrected, further sounds from the kitchen confirming this. "Tearing into presents like savages doesn't require food," Reese stated matter-of-factly, arms crossed. "Do we REALLY want to test your mom's patience?" returned the hare. A wide-eyed expression of thought claimed the child's face. "...Actually, I think it's best I eat, first," she "decided", taking a few steps toward the kitchen. She stopped, though, focus on Springtrap. He hadn't woken from his dozing, yet. With a hint of mischief in her expression, Reese climbed onto the sofa, minding her aunt's presence. A warm hand was pressed against his nose. Seconds later, the former SpringBonnie animatronic let robotic eyes--turning blue--open to rest on the little girl. "Aw, your nose didn't squeak," frowned a disappointed Reese, eyes narrowing behind her glasses. "A feature exclusive to the Freddy lineup, I'm afraid," Spring responded, his intact ear flickering. "Lucky him. It's Christmas, though. Did you know?" the girl continued, withdrawing her hand. "You only just announced it, did you not?" he questioned, tone slightly sarcastic. "Oh. You heard me," Reese realized, sheepishly. "Um...Mum's making breakfast, so...I'll go eat, and then we open gifts. Okay?"

"If that's your plan."

"...Did you get me something?"

He allowed a low chuckle. "I suppose we'll find out, won't we?"

Well, that sounded ominous. Reese didn't say more as she proceeded to see herself to the kitchen. Had her father heard those words, he'd without a doubt be on edge. There was no threat. All just a facade. Had it been intended, it would have been addressed by the hare in his lap--physically or otherwise. It was as he'd designed and programmed her. Besides that, Springtrap couldn't find it in him to prey upon Reese. Something about that little girl reminded him of his own, long ago. Maybe it had something to do with her lack of fear in him? Maybe it was due to her curiosity about him? Whatever the reason, he never did hear an inner voice commanding him to deal her harm. Given current circumstances, this was a blessing. The family eventually finished their meals in the next room, rejoining the animatronics in the living room. To avoid setting off her brother, Faye re-positioned herself to sit beside Springtrap. It proved enough. Rune had settled herself by the tree to pass around the presents. One was even handed to Marionette. His reaction was a gradual change from surprise to confusion, and then to glee when he realized what he'd unwrapped and held was an animal hoodie. A black and white cat, based on the ears and attached tail. Reese thankfully got her wish, an actual gift from Springtrap being handed to her. It didn't take her long at all to identify what it was.

"A SPRINGBONNIE HOODIE!" She wasted no time in putting on the golden jacket, lightly playing with the attached ears, bow tie, and puff of a tail. "I'm never taking this off!" she declared, hurrying to return a hug in thanks. "Huh! You will if we're goin' to wash it," Rune corrected with a brief point. "Where did you guys even find this? Nobody in town is selling it," Reese spoke as she pulled back from Faye's counterpart. White eyes narrowed in thought. "Hm. Dearest? Do you remember what that website was called?" Spring wondered, turning to Faye. "Etsy," she answered, simply. Thank goodness for online shopping. Excitedly, Reese gave another audible thanks before proceeding to chase her best friend around the living room. "Heh. Last I checked, Reese, cats chase the rabbits--not vice versa. But, uh, before you go off to play, I still have to get you your gift," Faye interjected, moving as though to get up. "Oh! It's okay, Auntie. I can get it," Reese spoke up, pushing back the hood from over her head. "Hm? Well, okay. It's in my room, under the bed," instructed the hare, the family watching as the girl ran off to search the designated location. There was an eventual squeal, and the girl came running back with something in both arms. A large blue bunny plush with red cheeks. "I got a Toy Bonnie! Thank you, Auntie!" Another hug, and then she proceeded to show it off to the puppet. "That mean you like your presents, sugar plum?" smiled Mitch, at least distracted by his daughter's happiness. "Yes! I love them, so much. Thank you!" Reese beamed, focused now on digging through her stocking for her sweets.

"Glad to hear, lil' darlin'. Shoppin' for you wasn't easy, this year. An' speakin' o' which, isn't it the bunnies' turn?" inquired her mother.

Alert, Faye straightened herself on the couch. "Um! Yeah. Uh, mine's in a manila envelope," she said, pointing behind the tree. Rune looked and reached to present it. A small green bow had been stuck to it. Faye took it, offering it to her partner. But instead of opening it right away, Springtrap accepted it, only to set it aside. Before anyone could ask, he explained. "If I may, I'd like to offer mine, first." Curious, Faye agreed with a brief gesture. A sly smile found its way onto Rune's face as the larger animatronic reached within his chest cavity to pull something through a hole in his chest's hatch: a small, recognizable black box. Before it was even opened, the family responded with various feedback. Marionette jingled curiously, fingertips pressed together. Reese emitted a sharp gasp. Rune only continued to smile knowingly, while her husband stood in act to protest. He was stopped by his wife, whom threw an empty gift box at him. "Remember what I said," she quietly told him. Tense eyes were turned to the father and husband, all wondering if he would let this be carried out. Physically, they could tell he was fighting a mental battle with himself. His beliefs against his family's. Despite only being Faye's brother, Mitch knew too well he was going to have to make a decision that was ultimately up to both Faye and their father. Sadly, their father would not be present to handle the responsibility.

He had to learn to let his sibling go. Letting out a slow breath, Mitch lowered his head, forcing himself to sit again. He felt his jaw clench and throat tighten as the larger rabbit stood, knelt in front of her, and ultimately asked her those four words. A part of him wanted to be ill when he heard his sister's response.

"Absolutely."

It pained him to see her wrap her arms around her counterpart, his own tightly embracing her. He didn't even hear his daughter's excited cheers, her statements about finally being able to call Springtrap her uncle. He ignored his wife's compliments, her words of congratulations. And when he caught sight of the ring, Mitch felt a flicker of anger. A silver band, diamonds of increasing size leading up to a blossomed rose. All of the petals were covered with smaller diamonds, the center of the flower housing the largest of them all. He recognized the ring. It had belonged originally to Rune's grandmother. Given to her in her inheritance when her grandmother passed. She'd given THAT to Springtrap?! How?! Well, granted, it was a sweet gesture with good intentions, but...still! This was HIS sister, and that was RUNE'S possession. Green eyes shifted between the two women. Rune looked happy, pleased. Faye, well...if she were still able to cry, he could bet she'd do so. Her attention wasn't on him, though. It was still glued to the rabbit having successfully asked for her hand. He was not the only one beside himself; Marionette wasn't sure whether or not to join in with their celebrating. Certainly, he was happy that THEY were happy. And sure, in the past few months, his father had proven he was trying to do better, to resist harming children. There wouldn't be any forgetting the little incident with a neighbor's birthday party, though. Faye had done as she was programmed, keeping the larger rabbit away from the kids playing in the neighboring yards. Nobody was hurt, and most of the kids were convinced it was all an act. But...what if it HADN'T been? There was no denying Faye was capable of fending off Springtrap's "malfunctions", so...perhaps this wouldn't be a terrible arrangement? All thoughts were put on hold upon Reese's comment of going outside to play, make an army of snowmen. Marionette knew that meant, "Let's give the rabbits time to themselves". He accompanied her and Rune, Mitch left to sort through his emotions in the dining room. All that left were Faye and her fiance.

...It made her power core hum to finally call him that.

"Are you going to open your present, now?" she asked, situated on the couch while Springtrap sat on the floor before her, head placed in her lap. "If you'd like me to," he replied, lifting a hand to accept the envelope. He carefully opened it and reached in to pull out its contents. Several sheets of paper, all littered with elaborate drawings. No. Blueprints, rather. But this time, they weren't for Faye. Judging by the designs, they were all for HIM. Intrigued, Springtrap cycled through each design, all varying from a restoration to his SpringBonnie appearance to a furry, slim-bodied version of his current state. He just now had to decide which version he liked best. "You really are an artist, dearest. I can't really choose which will be ideal," he lightly chuckled, focused so much on the prints that he missed out on Faye's shy body language. That was until he reached the final blueprint. Something about it threw him off. Widened eyes soon narrowed in suspicion. "Wait up a second. This one can't be right. It certainly looks like me, but...the proportions are far too small. The height and weight just don't make sense." He looked to his soon-to-be bride, finally noting her sudden shyness. Partly-lidded eyes flashed blue as they locked with his. He spared another look to the paper, then...he knew. "His name's on the back," Faye told him, watching as he flipped it over to read what she'd written. There was a sense of pride and joy in the sarcastic glance Springtrap shot her. "I do think I'm beginning to rub off on you, dearest~"

"But, oh, I love it so~" She leaned close to brush her nose against his.

********************************************

Mitch dreaded this day. Hated that it had even come to be. Yet, a part of him knew how selfish of him it would be to deny his sister her new life. A new chapter had begun, taking her to new places. Taking her forward. A part of him was glad to witness her progress, but he still despised having to do this. To force himself to say goodbye. Yet, he needed to face this reality, as he reached to grab a set of gold keys from its hook. Several days ago, on the evening of Christmas, he had confirmed permission for Rune to hand over their present to the rabbits. Thanks to careful arrangements with finances, namely from both their parents' and Faye's life insurance, the Wilsons were able to put in a six-month reservation of a condo in Vegas. A place where the animatronics could wander without a suspicious eye. A place where they could enjoy themselves. An outlandish place where sentient robots like them could fit in. His wife's idea, really. He'd just helped fund it. Fast-forward to the day after New Years', and here he was, about to turn over the keys to the vehicle once belonging to a certain purple-clad man. With a low groan, the man stepped out from the house and around to the driveway. The well-kept classic car shone in the sunlight, practically glowing in all its purple-painted glory. Beside it was the family, his wife and daughter standing with the slim, dark form of the puppet. Before them was a patiently-waiting Springtrap and Faye, whom spoke with the family. Rune was occupied, making sure the two had everything they needed to make the drive. Upon his approach, Mitch watched them all exchange hugs, hearing Faye tell her niece to do well in school so that they could visit the two in the Summer. After Reese's promise to do so, Mitch offered the keys with a sad smile. Naturally, Springtrap moved to take them, but Faye beat him to it.

"You're far too big for the driver's seat, honey-bunny~"

"It's my vehicle, sweetheart."

"That may be so, but there were reasons you didn't drive it while wearing SpringBonnie. Looks like I'll be driving--and you'll be taking up the back seat." The mint-colored hare pointed to the back seats of the car in emphasis. Despite his annoyed look, Spring knew she was right. He just hated that she was right. Pleased with his "submission", Faye turned again to her brother. "Well, car's all packed, and...I guess we're ready to hit the road," she began. "Rune gave you the phone I bought you?" he asked in turn. "She did. Charged, and we have the cable packed. We also have your emergency numbers, as well as tools in the trunk, if we need to change any tires on the way, there. Card for gas is in the center console, and we have jumper cables should the battery die. Unlikely, but you never know," Faye listed back, pausing to look at the vehicle. "We also have the physical copies of the condo reservations AND the business number. We've got everything covered, bro." His nod was hesitant. "Okay. Er, glad to see you've prepared. So...I guess if you're ready..." Mitch attempted to speak, not wanting to say his parting words. Not yet. Lord, wasn't she in high school, not too long ago? Where did the time go? His breath caught in his throat as cold arms gently closed around him. "It's going to be okay, Mitch. You're strong. Probably the strongest guy I know. Not only took care of me, but raised a family, too. You guys'll be just fine," his sister reassured, holding him in her embrace. It must have taken him an eternity to return that hug. "Just be careful, squirt. And call when you get there. Please?" Mitch spoke, head resting on hers. "Mom and Dad would be proud of you," she admitted, a smile finally tugging at his lips. "You too, Faye. Love you." They hesitantly separated, the man finally turning to the rabbit he hated most. "And you..." The words wanted to leave his mouth, to be heard. Yet, another glance to his sister told him to save it. There was no need for "bad blood" in this recovering family. Tense body relaxed with a breath. Instead of throwing a fist, what he really wanted to do, Mitch held up and offered a hand to shake. Be better. For your sister. "Just...be good to my sister," he said. The mechanical animal neared to return the gesture. "Have no doubts, Mr. Wilson," Springtrap began, white eyes narrowing slightly as they flashed purple. "I will~"

Mitch fought the urge to curl that hand into a fist as the two moved to sit in the car. "Bye, Auntie Faye! Bye, Uncle Spring!" called Reese, she and Marionette waving them off as the car drove off to begin its journey. The husband and father soon felt his wife's comforting touch. "I'm so proud o' ya, love. An' don't worry about Faye; she's a tough bunny," Rune attempted to calm him. Well, bunny or not, that was still HIS sister. "He mistreats her, he'll pay for it," Mitch promised, glare not lifting from the car until it had driven from sight. Inside, he cursed William. A child-killer, the murderer of his only sibling...

He still won over Faye.

****************************************

The clock ticked endlessly as its arms displayed 2:45 in the afternoon. They would be here in fifteen minutes. A rough estimation, anyway. Confirming the time frame, Faye returned to stirring the side dishes warming on the stove. A meal not intended for her, of course; she had company coming. Her previous family. People she hadn't seen since the wedding, 2 months prior. With recent events, she thought it best to feed them here at home. She had online videos to thank for the impromptu cooking lessons! In the oven, a ham was almost done baking. A timer was set to let her know when it was done. Behind her, Faye could hear the sounds of war from the TV in the living room. Another video game. "Smiling", she shook her head. Funny how easily Spring had fallen into picking up that habit. Ah, but he'd earned it. Getting a job had been his immediate concern when they'd moved here. It didn't take him long to score one. Or HER, for that matter. Spring had once said he'd entertained the idea of programming her new body to sing. Just to test this, Faye had practiced singing along with most known songs. High notes had been rough, but she managed. Comfortable with this singing ability, she'd practiced alongside Spring's guitar, the pair eventually taking the act to the streets. Crowds of people gradually built up to watch and listen. The better their performances, the better their tips became. In time, the pair agreed to make this their job, saving their earnings to pay for their home and to fund the construction of Spring's new body. To reduce the strain on the two, uncertain of what to do with an intact animatronic after the fact, they chose to re-use his current endoskeleton, but not without its replacements and repairs. Meanwhile, they had focused their efforts on crafting a new "skin" to cover this skeleton. The result of Spring's lineup was a mix of two designs. Primarily, it would look much like his SpringBonnie character, but it would have dark-gold fur, and still be missing half of its right ear. He'd also asked for claws and sharp teeth for his endo-skull. Faye allowed a pass for the teeth, but refused the claws. At least, not on his hands. His endo-jaws were further back in his mouth to reassure her he couldn't accidentally sever her cables during their private moments. However, he was awfully active with his hands, so claws on his fingers had potential for disaster. That, and his endoskeleton wouldn't allow for "sheathed" claws like Faye's, so they had to settle with talons on his feet.

Besides his upgrades, they had also been working on a slightly...smaller project--

Faye was startled by knocking at the door. Silencing her thoughts, the hare moved to answer, opening the door for her brother and his family. "Hey, everyone," she greeted. "Auntie Faye!" grinned Reese, hurrying to give the animatronic a hug. She was again wearing her bunny hood. Her father then picked her up, holding her in one arm while hugging his sister with the other. "Good to see you again, squirt," he smirked, making room for Rune and Marionette to exchange hugs with her. "'Ow have you been, these last few months?" Rune asked as the family was led inside to the dining room. "Busy, for sure. Establishing a new job, giving Spring a makeover--" the hare began, listing them off on her fingers. "A makeover? For HIM?" snickered Mitch, whom set Reese back down. "We both agreed he needed it, yes. Anyway, we've put aside some money for it, and took to making new pieces to replace his old ones. It didn't take us long, surprisingly," the younger sibling explained, hiding the annoyance at her brother's immaturity. "What are you guys doing, now?" Reese wondered. "Currently? I'm making your dinner," played her aunt as she motioned to the stove. At Reese's giggle, she continued. "We're both performers, now. Spring plays guitar, and I sing. Not at expert level yet, but I'm getting there. Most people are fascinated by seemingly-lone animatronic performers by default, so that's helped. During the Halloween season, though, Spring's going to work a temporary second job at...whichever haunted house attraction hires him. His scare factor's gone up since we put in his new endo-jaws."

At the mention, Reese peered around the combined dining room and kitchen. "Is Uncle Spring here?"

"Yeah, he's here. Probably playing video games, again," stated her aunt, whom brought drinks to the table as everyone was seated. Save for Marionette, whom chose to hover nearby. He couldn't drink, anyway. "Already?" was Mitch's rhetorical question as he sipped his drink. "It's our day off, and he can spend it as he likes," Faye lightly defended, knowing how her brother felt about her husband. "Besides, we had made enough in tips yesterday to allow it." Briefly leaving the table, Faye returned to the stove. "By the way, you guys picked an amazing condo. Has a nice view of the city, especially at night," she complimented. Rune permitted a grin, "My thoughts exactly. An' here your brother was worried you'd hate it. 'Too small', or somethin' like that." Her husband shrugged, "I never got to see it in person until now, and I really didn't feel comfortable giving my sister less than what I have." Before they could "debate", Faye verbally stepped in. "Now, guys. Really, I love it. And we have just enough space, thank you. Has some seclusion away from public eyes, and has lovely views. Rather peaceful out here, compared to the chaos of the city. Relatively, anyway." The stove was soon set to warm, and the ham was taken out of the oven. "If he's here, then where is he?" Reese tried again. "Spring? In the living room. Likely playing with our kit." At Faye's last words, Mitch spit out his drink. "Your...your what?" he choked. "Our kit? You know...a little rabbit?" Faye replied, handing him napkins. Reese gasped, shooting up from her chair, "A baby bunny! I wanna see!" Into the living room, she ran--with Marionette not far behind. Surprised, Rune turned to Faye, resting her chin in a palm, "You never told us about a lil' bun. When did that happen?"

"About a month ago. We were still in the construction of his new body," Faye sheepishly responded.

"You...made a KID...with H--" Mitch was abruptly cut off by Rune's elbow. Obviously, he wasn't thrilled to hear his sister had started a family with the man whom had killed her! Unaware of this, Reese hurried into the living room, quickly finding the brownish rabbit seated on a couch. He was indeed playing a video game, something with a first-person shooter mode and mechanical monsters. He wasn't alone. Sitting beside him was a much smaller rabbit. It resembled him well, but had SpringBonnie's gold fur in contrast to Spring's brownish tone. It had Faye's light-blue eyes and SpringBonnie's purple bow tie. In appearance, it looked plushy. Yet, on either side of its muzzle were a series of elastic bands--stitched on either side of his mouth as if to prevent him from opening his jaws. "Hiya, Uncle Spring!" called Reese, hurrying in to hug him. At her greeting, Springtrap paused the game, emitting a surprised noise with the girl's impact. "Glad to see you too, Reese," he said, patting her head. Pulling away, the girl took in his new appearance. "Whoa...you look different. Like SpringBonnie, but...not. Oh, wait! Was this that makeover thing Auntie mentioned?" With a short laugh, the large rabbit nodded, causing his ears to bounce. "We figured it was time for a change. After all, anyone would grow tired of looking as though they're falling apart," he told her. Not pressing further, she looked to the smaller bunny beside him. It hadn't spoken, opting to watch in silence. "Aw, it's cute. Who is it?" she commented. Shifting his attention, Spring placed his empty hand on the small bunny's head, parting its ears. "Say hello to Plushtrap. He's our son." In awe over him, Reese moved closer to Plush, "Hiya, Plush. My name's Reese. I'm your cousin. Look!" She showed off her hoodie. "I kinda look like you." Plush only tilted his head, still not speaking. "Could I pet you?" Reese asked, reaching a hand toward him. Springtrap immediately caught it. "Careful, Reese. Plush bites."

"He does? Is that why he has stitches around his mouth?"

"Yes. As a safety precaution. It's...not his fault, though. Mostly a side-effect from when Faye and I made him. See, he needed a soul to come to life, so Faye suggested we fuse a small part of ours. The process is difficult to explain. Just...know it involved cables and a tiny power core."

Nodding slowly, Reese emitted a small noise. "Does he talk?" She looked at Plush, once more. "Can you say 'hi'?" The small rabbit slightly sank in place. "...I can. I just don't want to," he said, his voice sounding like a young boy's. "I don't even know you, yet," he added. She smiled, "Well, my parents and I are visiting, so you'll get to know me. OH! Wait! If you're Uncle Spring's kid, then...that means Emmy's your brother! Emmy, come here! Say 'hi' to your new brother!" Curious eyes drifted to the slim figure, whom shied away. ANOTHER brother? Oh, no. He hoped this one wouldn't turn out like Michael. Still, with some coaxing, he hesitantly hovered over, heeding his father's warning about Plush biting. It wasn't long before the rest of the family entered the picture. Shock claimed Mitch's face at Plush's appearance. Rune, meanwhile...gently approached and picked up the small bunny. Plush was uncertain, but calmed in knowing both of his parents were present. "'Ello there, Plush. Name's Rune. I'm Reese's mother an' your mum's sister-in-law. Nice to meet you." She turned to show him to Mitch. "An' this is my husband, Mitchel. Most call him 'Mitch'. He's your mum's brother."

Plush's brows furrowed, "But...he's...human. He's not...he's not a bunny, like us."

"Well, no. But your mum used to be human. Did she tell you?"

"...No."

"Well, THAT'S goin' to be quite the story. Why don't we gather at the table, an' tell you all about it?"

Plushtrap glanced to his parents, "Can we?" His mother and father exchanged glances, the father eventually standing and leaving the game paused. "That settles it, then. To the table," Rune smiled, Marionette and Reese each walking by her side as she took Plushtrap and her unwilling husband to the dining table. This was obviously a lot for him to process. The two parental rabbits, meanwhile, hung back a time to speak. "I doubt your brother is going to handle this, well," Spring 'sighed', setting a hand around Faye's lower back as she neared him. "I can't blame him. But on the same token, he's going to need to adjust. He's got a family, and now, so do I. Either way, we'll need to tread carefully over dinner," she replied. "Hm, not TOO carefully, I hope? After all, it's a story we still have to tell our Plush--and I fancy including EVERY little detail~" he 'grinned'. Faye lightly snickered. Every detail, hm? "You just want to set my brother off," she deduced. "See him struggle, when he knows there's little he can do? Of course, dearest~" She emitted another giggle, eyes glowing purple as they walked toward the dining room. "Alright, but I'm covering Plush's ears during the mature bits~"

There was a dark chuckle from her husband, his own eyes glowing the same shade. "I'm going to enjoy watching him squirm~"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Got some news: DeviantArt's switching to some "Eclipse" version, and since it's not letting me log in or do anything but view pictures, I may be quitting said site and moving my good 'fics to this one. I don't know why DA thinks it needs to change, but it's going to lose another Deviant, if it keeps up. I've had it with the developers thinking they need to fix what isn't broken. D<
> 
> I'll be going back through what fanfics I can still access and see if I can't transfer them over to this site. In the meantime, I've got another 'fic in the works. Look forward to it. ^^

**Author's Note:**

> I'm starting off with one of my more "polished" FNAF 'fics, since my very first one was centered around the first 3 games of the series, and wasn't quite what I wanted to make the "display piece" on my new account. Just so you guys are aware: this IS a Canon Character x Fan Character pairing 'fic. Not to worry; I've tried to keep Faye within logical standards, or at least as human as I could make her without leaning into Mary Sue territory. (I prefer to have reasonable/logical characters in my roster. ^^) This fanfic can also be found on my DeviantArt account of the same name.
> 
> Please don't hate, and lemme know what you think, so far.


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